separation of powers

English

Etymology

Coined by the French Age of Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu (1689–1755).

Noun

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

1. 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.

Translations

model for governance

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 三權分立／三权分立 (zh) (sānquánfēnlì), 三权分立 (zh) (sānquánfēnlì)

• Dutch: trias politica (nl) f
• Finnish: vallan ositus
• Georgian: ხელისუფლების დანაწილება (xelisuplebis danac̣ileba)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: þrískipting ríkisvaldsins f
• Japanese: 三権分立 (ja) (さんけんぶんりつ, sankenbunritsu)
• Latin: triās polītica f
• Spanish: separación de poderes f