protectorate

noun/prəˈtɛktərɪt/

Frequency rank: #14,385 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

A territory that is controlled and protected by a stronger country, while retaining some degree of self-governance.

Illustration for the English word “protectorate”

Example sentence

The small island became a formal protectorate under the authority of a powerful neighboring nation.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 14,301–14,400