Meaning & use
protectorate
Last updated
A state or territory that is controlled and protected by another, more powerful state.
See it in a sentence
Under the treaty, the small kingdom became a British protectorate.
Historians study how protectorates differed legally from full colonies.
A note on using this word
A protectorate usually keeps its own internal government while the protecting power controls its defense and foreign affairs.
Words with a similar meaning
dependencydominion
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