protectorate
noun
pro·tec·tor·ate
| \ prə-ˈtek-t(ə-)rət
\
\
Definition of protectorate
1a
: government by a protector
b
capitalized
: the government of England (1653–59) under the Cromwells
c
: the rank, office, or period of rule of a protector
2a
: the relationship of superior authority assumed by one power or state over a dependent one
b
: the dependent political unit or territory in such a relationship
Examples of protectorate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since her accession to the throne, Catherine had exerted increasing pressure on Poland, practically turning it into a Russian protectorate. — National Geographic, "This 'pretender princess' tried to steal Catherine the Great's throne," 6 Aug. 2019 Eventually Laos fell into European possession following the creation of the French protectorate in 1893. — Ewen Bell, National Geographic, "Discover why Laos is the world’s next great foodie destination," 10 July 2019 Still widely known as Saigon, the sprawling riverside metropolis was formerly the capital of the French protectorate of Cochinchina and later South Vietnam. — Sayoni Sinha, National Geographic, "Craft brews and skyline views: The ultimate Ho Chi Minh City itinerary," 3 June 2019 Initially functioning as a UN protectorate, the country’s development and democratization lagged. — Una Hajdari, The New Republic, "The Clinton Administration Did Not Fix the Balkans," 21 June 2019 The American tax payer, the American deplorables have been expected now for decades to act as a protector for these protectorates in Europe. — Fox News, "Meadows, Dershowitz react after Lisa Page defies subpoena," 12 July 2018 Without the struggle most of the money goes away and the Palestinians, whether as a state or a protectorate, are left being an impoverished, raucous backwater with little future. — WSJ, "Try Something New After 70 Years of Failure," 6 Nov. 2018 Once the center of a vast ancient empire — remnants of which survive at the famous Angkor Wat temple complex — the country became a French protectorate in the 19th century, and gained its independence from France in 1953. — Fox News, "Cambodian election glance: who's running and what's at stake," 27 July 2018 There were the vendors with their pyramids of baguettes (like coffee, residue from the country’s years as a French protectorate). — Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Luang Prabang Is the Ideal Southeast Asian City," 20 Nov. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'protectorate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for protectorate
protectorate
noun
English Language Learners Definition of protectorate
: a small country that is controlled and protected by a larger one
See the full definition for protectorate in the English Language Learners Dictionary
Keep scrolling for more