What is federal? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of federal in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of federal

federaladjective

liên bang

/ˈfɛd(ə)rəl/

Definition & pronunciation of <strong>federal</strong>

Where does the word federal come from?

The word "federal" has its roots in the Latin word "foedus," meaning "covenant" or "treaty." In the 16th century, the term "foederal" was used in English to describe a league or confederation of states or nations. This sense of the word was influenced by the idea of a federal covenant, or a binding agreement between states or nations. In the 18th century, the term "federal" was adopted by American colonists to describe their proposed system of government, in which power would be divided between a central authority and regional governments. This concept was inspired by the Articles of Confederation, which had governed the colonies during the American Revolution. Since then, the term "federal" has come to refer specifically to the government of the United States, with its system of federalism, in which power is divided between the federal government and individual state governments.

Vocabulary summary federal

typeadjective

meaningfederal

Example of vocabulary federalnamespace

meaning

having a system of government in which the individual states of a country have control over their own affairs, but are controlled by a central government for national decisions, etc.

  • a federal republic
  • The Federal Reserve has announced a new interest rate policy to tackle inflation.
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBIis currently investigating the bank robbery in downtown Manhattan.
  • The Federal Communications Commission (FCChas fined the network for airing explicit content during prime time hours.
  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMAis coordinating disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the hurricane.
meaning

(within a federal system, for example the US and Canada) connected with national government rather than the local government of an individual state

  • a federal law
  • state and federal income taxes

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