Commonwealth (U.S. state)

[4] "Commonwealth" is a traditional English term used to describe a political community as having been founded for the common good, and shares some similarities with the Latin phrase "res publica" ('the public thing'), which ultimately is the derivation of the word republic.

The term commonwealth does not describe or provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a state.

It refers to the common "wealth", or welfare, of the public[10] and is derived from a loose translation of the Latin term res publica.

The current name can be traced to the second draft of the state constitution, which was written by John Adams and ratified in 1780.

[14] In Massachusetts, the term State is occasionally used in an official manner, usually in a compound structure rather than as a standalone noun.

The Seal of Pennsylvania does not use the term, but legal processes are in the name of the Commonwealth, and it is a traditional official designation used in referring to the state.