0 a group of countries with the same political or economic aims: --
the Commonwealth of Independent States
1 a country or state that is governed by its people or their elected representatives --
2 a country or part of a country that is governed by its people or those elected by them. The word is used as the title of some of the states of the US: --
3 an organized group of states, or of independent countries with the same political or economic aims: --
There is an ongoing investigation into the lobbyist and his dealings with Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
the Commonwealth of Australia (= the federation of Australian states)
4 an organization of independent countries which were part of the former British Empire and which now have friendly political or economic connections with each other. A small number of countries which did not form part of the British Empire have also joined the Commonwealth. --