Legal Definitions - subject

Definition: Subject, as an adjective, refers to something that is relevant to the current discussion. As a noun, it refers to a person who owes allegiance to a sovereign and is governed by that sovereign's laws.

• The subject property was then sold to Smith.
• The monarchy's subjects owe allegiance to the sovereign and are governed by the sovereign's laws.

The first example illustrates the adjective form of subject, where the property being discussed is relevant to the current discussion. The second example illustrates the noun form of subject, where the people who owe allegiance to a sovereign are referred to as subjects.

It is important to note that the term subject is commonly used in monarchical forms of government, while the term citizen is more commonly used in republics. However, both terms refer to individuals who have a personal relationship with the state and are subject to its power and jurisdiction.