confederacy
kun-FED-uh-ruh-see
/kənˈfɛdərəsi/
A league or alliance, especially of confederate states.
Implies a loose union where the individual members retain most of their sovereignty and power.
The story behind the word. From the Late Latin 'confoederatio', from 'con-' (together) and 'foederare' (to league). It implies a group that has 'leagued together' for a common purpose.
Word relationships
- federation: Federation implies a much stronger central government than a confederacy.
- league: League is a more general term for a group bound by agreement.
- unitary state: A unitary state has a single, supreme central government with no independent sub-units.
Commonly confused with
- federation: A confederacy is a loose alliance; a federation is a strong, permanent union.
Word family
- confederate (noun/adjective): A person or state joined with another; relating to a confederacy.
- confederation (noun): The act of forming a confederacy.
Collocations
- loose confederacy
- form a confederacy
- member of a confederacy
Example sentences
- "The Iroquois Confederacy was a sophisticated political union of six Native American nations." History
- "The small island nations formed a confederacy to negotiate better trade deals with larger countries." Politics
Memory hook
A confederacy is a 'con-federation'—a group that is 'together by treaty' but still independent. Leagued together.
When not to use
Often associated with the American Civil War; use carefully to avoid unintended political connotations.
Fun facts
- The Articles of Confederation was the first governing document of the United States before the Constitution.
Related words
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