Final answer:
The word 'reserved' refers to powers that are exclusively granted to state governments by the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. These powers include areas not specifically addressed by the Constitution as federal responsibilities, allowing states to govern independently in these domains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "reserved" refers to powers that belong only to state governments according to the United States Constitution. These reserved powers are established by the Tenth Amendment, which clearly states that the powers not delegated to the national government, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people.
This concept is central to the federalist system implemented in the United States, allowing states to maintain sovereignty in certain areas, such as regulating intrastate commerce and governing marriage laws.
However, some powers, like taxing, are considered shared or concurrent powers, meaning they can be exercised by both the state and federal governments. The Tenth Amendment protects these reserved powers to ensure that state authority is maintained where the Constitution does not specifically grant such power to the federal government.