federal

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adjective

pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states, as in federal government; federal system.

of, pertaining to, or noting such a central government: federal offices.

( initial capital letter ) U.S. History.

of or pertaining to the Federalists or to the Federalist party.

supporting the principles of the Federalist party.

(in the Civil War) pertaining to or supporting the Union government.

relating to or adhering to the support of the constitution.

( initial capital letter ) pertaining to or designating the styles of the decorative arts and architecture current in the U.S. from c1780 to c1830.

of or pertaining to a compact or a league, especially a league between nations or states.

Relevant Questions

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What Is Federal?

noun

an advocate of federation or federalism.

( initial capital letter ) U.S. History.

a Federalist.

an adherent of the Union government during the Civil War; Unionist.

a soldier in the Federal army.

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the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

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Origin:
1635–45; earlier foederal < Latin foeder- (stem of foedus) league + -al¹

Related forms

fed·er·al·ly, adverb

fed·er·al·ness, noun

non·fed·er·al, adjective

qua·si-fed·er·al, adjective

qua·si-fed·er·al·ly, adverb

Can be confused: federal, national.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To federal

Collins

World English Dictionary

federal (ˈfɛdərəl)

—*adj*
1.	of or relating to a form of government or a country in which power is divided between one central and several regional governments
2.	of or relating to a treaty between provinces, states, etc, that establishes a political unit in which power is so divided
3.	of or relating to the central government of a federation
4.	of or relating to any union or association of parties or groups that retain some autonomy
5.	(of a university) comprised of relatively independent colleges

—n
6.	a supporter of federal union or federation

[C17: from Latin foedus league]

'federally

—*adv*

Federal (ˈfɛdərəl)

—*adj*
1.	a. of or relating to the Federalist party or Federalism
	b. characteristic of or supporting the Union government during the American Civil War

—n
2.	a. a supporter of the Union government during the American Civil War
	b. a Federalist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

federal

1640s, as a theological term, from L. foedus "covenant, league" (gen. foederis), related to fides "faith" (see faith). Meaning "pertaining to a treaty" (1650s) 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.