federal

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: fed=er=al

CIDE DICTIONARY

federal, a. [L. foedus league, treaty, compact; akin to fides faith: cf. F. fédéral. see Faith.].

•  Pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations; constituted by a compact between parties, usually governments or their representatives.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Romans compelled them, contrary to all federal right, . . . to part with Sardinia."  [1913 Webster]
•  Composed of states or districts which retain only a subordinate and limited sovereignty, as the Union of the United States, or the Sonderbund of Switzerland.  [1913 Webster]

Federal Congress. See under Congress.

federal, n. 

 See Federalist.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

federal, adj.
1 of a system of government in which several States form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs.
2 relating to or affecting such a federation (federal laws).
3 relating to or favouring centralized government.
4 (Federal) US of the Northern States in the Civil War.
5 comprising an association of largely independent units.

Idiom

federal reserve (in the US) a national system of reserve cash available to banks.

Derivative

federalism n. federalist n. federalize v.tr. (also -ise). federalization n. federally adv.

Etymology

L foedus -eris league, covenant

THESAURUS

federal

Bow Street runner, FBI, FBI agent, G-man, Secret Service, Sherlock Holmes, T-man, agent, amanuensis, baggage agent, business agent, claim agent, clerk, commercial agent, commission agent, consignee, customer agent, detective, dupe, factor, fed, federal agent, freight agent, functionary, general agent, hotel detective, house detective, house dick, implement, inquiry agent, instrument, insurance agent, investigator, land agent, law agent, literary agent, loan agent, narc, news agent, official, operative, parliamentary agent, passenger agent, plainclothesman, police detective, press agent, private detective, private investigator, puppet, purchasing agent, real estate agent, revenuer, sales agent, secretary, sleuth, special agent, station agent, steward, store detective, theatrical agent, ticket agent, tool, travel agent, treasury agent, walking delegate

ROGET THESAURUS

federal

Government

N government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority, authority, master, direction, national government, nation, state, country, nation- state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic, kingdom, principality, state government, state, shire, province, county, canton, territory, duchy, archduchy, archdukedom, woiwodshaft, commonwealth, region, property, county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement, mofussil, commune, wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth, soke, tithing, ward, precinct, bailiwick, command, empire, sway, rule, dominion, domination, sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty, lordship, headship, chiefdom, seigniory, seigniority, rule, sway, command, control, administer, govern, lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne, sway the scepter, wield the scepter, wear the crown, state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus, judicature, cabinet, seat of government, seat of authority, headquarters, accession, installation, politics, reign, regime, dynasty, directorship, dictatorship, protectorate, protectorship, caliphate, pashalic, electorate, presidency, presidentship, administration, proconsul, consulship, prefecture, seneschalship, magistrature, magistracy, monarchy, kinghood, kingship, royalty, regality, aristarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy, commonwealth, dominion, heteronomy, republic, republicanism, socialism, collectivism, mob law, mobocracy, ochlocracy, vox populi, imperium in imperio, bureaucracy, beadledom, bumbledom, stratocracy, military power, military government, junta, feodality, feudal system, feudalism, thearchy, theocracy, dinarchy, duarchy, triarchy, heterarchy, duumvirate, triumvirate, autocracy, autonomy, limited monarchy, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, home rule, representative government, monocracy, pantisocracy, gynarchy, gynocracy, gynaeocracy, petticoat government, legislature, judiciary, administration, office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet, senate, house of representatives, parliament, council, courts, supreme court, state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Postal Service, Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister, senator, representatative, president pro tem, speaker of the house, department head, section head, section chief, federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice, treasurer, secretary of the treasury, director of the FBI, governor, state cabinet member, state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman, regal, sovereign, governing, royal, royalist, monarchical, kingly, imperial, imperiatorial, princely, feudal, aristocratic, autocratic, oligarchic, republican, dynastic, ruling, regnant, gubernatorial, imperious, authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute, hegemonic, hegemonical, authorized, government, public, national, federal, his majesty's, her majesty's, state, county, city, N, a dog's obeyed in office, cada uno tiene su alguazil, le Roi le veut, regibus esse manus en nescio longas, regnant populi, the demigod Authority, the right divine of kings to govern wrong, uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.