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federal

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fed⋅er⋅al

  [fed-er-uhl]
Use federal in a Sentence
–adjective
1. pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states: the federal government of the U.S.
2. of, pertaining to, or noting such a central government: federal offices.
3. (initial capital letter) U.S. History.
a. of or pertaining to the Federalists or to the Federalist party.
b. supporting the principles of the Federalist party.
c. (in the Civil War) pertaining to or supporting the Union government.
d. relating to or adhering to the support of the Constitution.
4. (initial capital letter) pertaining to or designating the styles of the decorative arts and architecture current in the U.S. from c1780 to c1830.
5. of or pertaining to a compact or a league, esp. a league between nations or states.
–noun
6. an advocate of federation or federalism.
7. (initial capital letter) U.S. History.
a. a Federalist.
b. an adherent of the Union government during the Civil War; Unionist.
c. a soldier in the Federal army.
Origin:
1635–45; earlier foederal < L foeder- (s. of foedus) league + -al 1

Related forms:
fed⋅er⋅al⋅ly, adverb
fed⋅er⋅al⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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fed·er·al   (fěd'ər-əl, fěd'rəl)   
adj.  

  1. Of, relating to, or being a form of government in which a union of states recognizes the sovereignty of a central authority while retaining certain residual powers of government.

  2. Of or constituting a form of government in which sovereign power is divided between a central authority and a number of constituent political units.

  3. Of or relating to the central government of a federation as distinct from the governments of its member units.

  4. Favorable to or advocating federation: The senator's federal leanings were well known.

  5. Relating to or formed by a treaty or compact between constituent political units.

  6. Federal

    1. Of, relating to, or supporting Federalism or the Federalist Party.

    2. Of, relating to, or loyal to the Union cause during the American Civil War.

  7. often Federal Of, relating to, or being the central government of the United States.

  8. Federal Relating to or characteristic of a style of architecture, furniture, and decoration produced in the United States especially in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and characterized by adaptations of classical forms combined with typically American motifs.

n.  

  1. Federal

    1. A supporter of the Union during the American Civil War, especially a Union soldier.

    2. A Federalist.

  2. often Federal A federal agent or official.


[From Latin foedus, foeder-, league, treaty; see bheidh- in Indo-European roots.]
fed'er·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

federal 
1645, as a theological term, from L. foedus "covenant, league" (gen. foederis), related to fides "faith" (see faith). Meaning "pertaining to a treaty" (1660) led to political sense of "state formed by agreement among independent states" (1707), from phrases like federal union "union based on a treaty," popularized by formation of U.S.A. 1776-1787. Federation is first attested 1721, from L.L. foederationem, from L. foederare "league together." Federalism (1793) was coined by Burke. Federalist "member or supporter of the Federal party in U.S. politics" is from 1787. Fed slang for "officer of the FBI" is from 1916.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: fed·er·al
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin foeder- foedus compact, league
1 : of or constituting a form of government in which power is distributed between a central authority and a number of constituent territorial units (as states) federal government>
2 : of or relating to the central government of a federation as distinguished from the governments of the constituent territorial units (as states); especially : of or relating to the laws made and enforced by the federal government federal crime> —fed·er·al·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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