federal

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fed·er·al

(fĕd′ər-əl, fĕd′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

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

b. 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.

1. Federal

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

b. 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.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

federal

(ˈfɛdərəl)

adj

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) of or relating to a form of government or a country in which power is divided between one central and several regional governments

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) of or relating to a treaty between provinces, states, etc, that establishes a political unit in which power is so divided

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) 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. (Education) (of a university) comprising relatively independent colleges

(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a supporter of federal union or federation

[C17: from Latin foedus league]

ˈfederally adv

Federal

(ˈfɛdərəl)

adj

(Historical Terms)

a. of or relating to the Federalist party or Federalism

b. characteristic of or supporting the Union government during the American Civil War

(Historical Terms)

a. a supporter of the Union government during the American Civil War

b. a Federalist

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fed•er•al

(ˈfɛd ər əl)

adj.

1. pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states, provinces, or areas under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate units: the federal government of the U.S.

2. of, pertaining to, or involving such a central government: federal laws; federal troops.

3. (cap.)

a. of, pertaining to, or supporting the Federalist Party or Federalism.

b. pertaining to or supporting the Union government in the Civil War.

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

5. an advocate of federation or federalism.

6. (cap.)

a. a Federalist.

b. a supporter of the Union, or a Union soldier in the Civil War.

[1635–45; earlier foederal < Latin foedus league]

fed′er•al•ly, adv.

fed′er•al•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	Federal - a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War Federal soldier, Union soldier Yank, Yankee, Northerner - an American who lives in the North (especially during the American Civil War)
	2.	Federal - any federal law-enforcement officer Fed, federal official federal agent, agent - any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureau
Adj.	1.	federal - national; especially in reference to the government of the United States as distinct from that of its member units; "the Federal Bureau of Investigation"; "federal courts"; "the federal highway program"; "federal property" national - concerned with or applicable to or belonging to an entire nation or country; "the national government"; "national elections"; "of national concern"; "the national highway system"; "national forests"
	2.	federal - of or relating to the central government of a federation; "a federal district is one set aside as the seat of the national government"
	3.	Federal - being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War; "Union soldiers"; "Federal forces"; "a Federal infantryman" Union northern - in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line; "Northern liberals"; "northern industry"; "northern cities"
	4.	federal - characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is divided between one central and several regional authorities; "a federal system like that of the United States"; "federal governments often evolved out of confederations" governing, government activity, government, governance, administration - the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" unitary - characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority; "a unitary as opposed to a federal form of government"

federal

adjective confederate, combined, federated, in alliance Communist deputies in the federal assembly

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

فدرالي، إتِّحادي

federální

føderalforbunds-

szövetségi

sambands-, bandalags-

federale federativo

federacinisfederalinissusijungę į federaciją

federācijas-federālsfederatīvs

føderal forbunds-sambands-

федеральный

federálny

birleşik federal

联邦的

federal

[ˈfedərəl]

A. ADJ → federal

B. N (US) (Hist) → federal mf

C. CPD Federal Bureau N (US) → Departamento m de Estado
Federal Bureau of Investigation N (US) → FBI m → Brigada f de Investigación Criminal
federal officer N (US) → federal mf
Federal Republic of Germany N → República f Federal de Alemania
Federal Reserve Bank N (US) → banco m de la Reserva Federal
Federal Reserve Board N (US) → junta f de gobierno de la Reserva Federal
Federal Reserve System N (US) → Reserva f Federal (banco central de los EE. UU.)
federal tax N → impuesto m federal FCC

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

federal

[ˈfɛdərəl] adj [province, government, judge] → fédéral(e)Federal Aviation Administration n (US) → Direction f générale de l'aviation civileFederal Bureau of Investigation n (US) → FBI mFederal court n (US) → cour f fédéralefederal holiday n → US, jour m férié

federal

adj → Bundes-; system etc → föderalistisch; (US Hist) → föderalistisch; federal state → Bundesstaat m; federal bureau → Bundesamt nt; the Federal Republic of Germany → die Bundesrepublik Deutschland; Federal Insurance Contributions Act (US) Gesetz über die Einbehaltung von Sozialversicherungsbeiträgen

n (US)

(Hist) → Föderalist m

(inf: in FBI) → FBI-Agent(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

federal

[ˈfɛdər/əl] adj → federale

federal

(ˈfedərəl) adjective

(of a government or group of states) joined together, usually for national and external affairs only. the federal government of the United States of America.

ˈfederated (-rei-) adjective

joined by a treaty, agreement etc.

ˌfedeˈration noun

people, societies, unions, states etc joined together for a common purpose. the International Federation of Actors.

References in classic literature ?

Could any further proof be required of the republican complexion of this system, the most decisive one might be found in its absolute prohibition of titles of nobility, both under the federal and the State governments; and in its express guaranty of the republican form to each of the latter.

They ought, with equal care, to have preserved the FEDERAL form, which regards the Union as a CONFEDERACY of sovereign states; instead of which, they have framed a NATIONAL government, which regards the Union as a CONSOLIDATION of the States." And it is asked by what authority this bold and radical innovation was undertaken?

The act, therefore, establishing the Constitution, will not be a NATIONAL, but a FEDERAL act.

That it will be a federal and not a national act, as these terms are understood by the objectors; the act of the people, as forming so many independent States, not as forming one aggregate nation, is obvious from this single consideration, that it is to result neither from the decision of a MAJORITY of the people of the Union, nor from that of a MAJORITY of the States.

So far the government is NATIONAL, not FEDERAL. The Senate, on the other hand, will derive its powers from the States, as political and coequal societies; and these will be represented on the principle of equality in the Senate, as they now are in the existing Congress.

The difference between a federal and national government, as it relates to the OPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT, is supposed to consist in this, that in the former the powers operate on the political bodies composing the Confederacy, in their political capacities; in the latter, on the individual citizens composing the nation, in their individual capacities.

If we try the Constitution by its last relation to the authority by which amendments are to be made, we find it neither wholly NATIONAL nor wholly FEDERAL. Were it wholly national, the supreme and ultimate authority would reside in the MAJORITY of the people of the Union; and this authority would be competent at all times, like that of a majority of every national society, to alter or abolish its established government.

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The members retained the character of independent and sovereign states, and had equal votes in the federal council.

But how far this effect proceeded from the authority of the federal council is left in uncertainty.

Could its interior structure and regular operation be ascertained, it is probable that more light would be thrown by it on the science of federal government, than by any of the like experiments with which we are acquainted.

I have thought it not superfluous to give the outlines of this important portion of history; both because it teaches more than one lesson, and because, as a supplement to the outlines of the Achaean constitution, it emphatically illustrates the tendency of federal bodies rather to anarchy among the members, than to tyranny in the head.

This was but another name more specious for the independence of the members on the federal head.

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