separation of powers

noun

A theoretical model for governance, common in democratic states, which features the division of sovereign power into at least three (but sometimes up to six) organs of state in order to forestall tyranny, by preventing the acquisition of a monopoly of power by a monarch or oligarchy; also, such an arrangement.

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Meanings

nounseparation of powers (countable and uncountable, plural separations of powers)

plural separations of powers

  1. countableuncountableA theoretical model for governance, common in democratic states, which features the division of sovereign power into at least three (but sometimes up to six) organs of state in order to forestall tyranny, by preventing the acquisition of a monopoly of power by a monarch or oligarchy; also, such an arrangement.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 三權分立 /三权分立
  • 三權分立 /三权分立 (sānquánfēnlì)model for governance
Dutch trias politica, scheiding der machten
  • trias politicamodel for governance
  • scheiding der machtenmodel for governance
Finnish vallan ositus
  • vallan ositusmodel for governance
French séparation des pouvoirs
  • séparation des pouvoirsmodel for governance
German Gewaltenteilung, Gewaltentrennung
  • Gewaltenteilungmodel for governance
  • Gewaltentrennungmodel for governance
Greek διάκριση των εξουσιών
  • διάκριση των εξουσιών (diákrisi ton exousión)model for governance
Icelandic þrískipting ríkisvaldsins
  • þrískipting ríkisvaldsinsmodel for governance
Indonesian pemisahan kekuasaan
  • pemisahan kekuasaanmodel for governance
Italian separazione dei poteri
  • separazione dei poterimodel for governance
Japanese 三権分立
  • 三権分立 (sankenbunritsu)model for governance
Latin trias polītica
  • trias polīticamodel for governance
Malay pengasingan kuasa
  • pengasingan kuasamodel for governance
Polish trójpodział władzy, podział władzy
  • trójpodział władzymodel for governance
  • podział władzymodel for governance
  • podział władzmodel for governance
Portuguese separação dos poderes
  • separação dos poderesmodel for governance
Romanian separația puterilor
  • separația puterilormodel for governance
Russian разделе́ние власте́й
  • разделе́ние власте́й (razdelénije vlastéj)model for governance
Spanish separación de poderes
  • separación de poderesmodel for governance
Swedish maktdelning
  • maktdelningmodel for governance
Ukrainian розпо́діл держа́вної вла́ди
  • розпо́діл держа́вної вла́ди (rozpódil deržávnoji vlády)model for governance
Vietnamese tam quyền phân lập
  • tam quyền phân lậpmodel for governance
Cite this entry
APA

separation of powers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/separation%20of%20powers

MLA

“separation of powers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/separation%20of%20powers. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “separation of powers,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/separation%20of%20powers.

Source: separation of powers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.