Confederation
nounA union of states, groups, or organisations that join together for a shared purpose while keeping much of their independence.
How to spell confederation
13 letters · 5 syllables
How to pronounce confederation
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does confederation mean?
- nounA union of states, groups, or organisations that join together for a shared purpose while keeping much of their independence.
Confederation in a sentence
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The loose confederation of trade unions agreed to coordinate their demands.
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Several small republics formed a confederation for mutual defence.
Where does confederation come from?
Language of origin: Latin
This word traces back to the Latin confoederatio, a noun built from the verb confoederare meaning 'to join together by treaty'. That verb combines con-, meaning 'together', with foedus, the Latin word for a league, treaty, or solemn covenant. The very same foedus root gives English 'federal' and 'federation', and it is also a cousin of 'fidelity' and 'faith', since all share the idea of a bond pledged in trust. English borrowed confederation in the late 1300s by way of Old French confederacion, first to describe an alliance of people or states bound by agreement. The middle 'feder' spelling, easy to slip on because the unstressed vowels blur in speech, is the clue to the word's origin in foedus, the pledged league.
How the word is built
- con- (together)
- foeder/feder (league, treaty, covenant)
- -ation (noun of action/state)
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