statelet

English

Etymology

From state +‎ -let.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsteɪtlɪt/

Noun

statelet (plural statelets)

1. (sometimes derogatory) A very small nation-state, or a region that acts like a nation-state
   • 2009 January 14, Steven Erlanger, Michael Slackman, “Israel Says Hamas Is Damaged, Not Destroyed”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     Egypt talks to Hamas but is not eager to see the radical Islamic group succeed in running a small statelet next door.

   • 2018, Oliver Bullough, chapter 12, in Moneyland, →ISBN, page 182:

     In 2014, the European statelet of Liechtenstein followed the Swiss lead and returned $227 million that had been stolen by [Sani] Abacha's son […]

   • 2021 February 2, Mike Nesbitt, “Divisive Border poll is no recipe for unity”, in The Irish Times‎^[2]:

     Ms McDonald’s party has long argued that Northern Ireland is not working – a “failed statelet” being their chosen description.