suzerain
/ˈsuzərən/
noun
- A country or ruler that has political control over another country or region that is partly independent.
- The treaty recognized the king as the suzerain of the neighboring province.
- Historically, the Ottoman Empire was the suzerain of many territories in the Balkans.
- The empire acted as a suzerain over the smaller kingdoms, collecting taxes and controlling foreign policy.
Antonyms