adj · name · noun · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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rhymes with -ɛdəɹəl
CMU ARPABET:F EH1 D ER0 AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:F EH1 D R AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Pertaining to the national government level in a federal nation, as opposed to state, provincial, county, city, or town.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Relating to covenantalism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: lifestyle, religion, theology
Examples
federal theology
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
name
Meaning 4
A locality in the Byron council area, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A federal agent or (chiefly law-enforcement) official.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A federal agent or (chiefly law-enforcement) official.
A law-enforcement official of the FBI.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A Union soldier in the American Civil War.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A supporter of federation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A member of a Federal Party
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Alternative letter-case form of federal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, alt-of
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Someone on the Union side.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: American Civil War
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
adjective
Meaning 12
characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is divided between one central and several regional authorities
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a federal system like that of the United States
federal governments often evolved out of confederations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: unitary
13
adjective
Meaning 13
of or relating to the central government of a federation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a federal district is one set aside as the seat of the national government
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
adjective satellite
Meaning 14
national; especially in reference to the government of the United States as distinct from that of its member units
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the Federal Bureau of Investigation
federal courts
the federal highway program
federal property
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
adjective satellite
Meaning 15
being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Union soldiers
Federal forces
a Federal infantryman
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Union
Antonyms: none provided
16
noun
Meaning 16
any federal law-enforcement officer
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Fed, federal official
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: agent, federal agent
17
noun
Meaning 17
a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Federal soldier, Union soldier
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Yankee, Yank, Northerner
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bheydh- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *bheydhós Proto-Italic *feiðos Latin foedusder. French fédéralder. English federal From French fédéral, from Latin stem foeder- of foedus (“covenant, league, treaty, alliance”).
Across languages
Translations
100 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
فِدِرَالِيّ
(fidirāliyy)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Arabic:
اِتِّحَادِيّ
(ittiḥādiyy)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Armenian:
դաշնային
(dašnayin)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Belarusian:
федэраты́ўны
(fjederatýwny)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Bulgarian:
съю́зен
(sǎjúzen)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Catalan:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Czech:
federalistický
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Czech:
svazový
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Danish:
føderal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Dutch:
federaal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Dutch:
bonds-
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Esperanto:
federacia
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Finnish:
federaalinen
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Finnish:
federatiivinen
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
French:
fédéral
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
French:
fédérale
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Galician:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Georgian:
ფედერალური
(pederaluri)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Georgian:
მოკავშირე
(moḳavšire)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
German:
Bundes-
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
German:
föderal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Hindi:
संघीय
(saṅghīya)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Hungarian:
szövetségi
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Indonesian:
serikat
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Irish:
cónaidhme
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Irish:
cónaidhmeach
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Italian:
federale
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Kazakh:
федеративті
(federativtı)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Kazakh:
федеративтік
(federativtık)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Norwegian Bokmål:
føderal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Norwegian Nynorsk:
føderal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Polish:
związkowy
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Portuguese:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Portuguese:
federativo
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Romanian:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Romanian:
federativ
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Russian:
федерати́вный
(federatívnyj)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Russian:
сою́зный
(sojúznyj)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Serbo-Croatian:
са́везнӣ
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Serbo-Croatian:
savezni
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Spanish:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Swedish:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Tagalog:
sang-isahan
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Turkish:
federal
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Turkish:
birliksel
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Ukrainian:
федерати́вний
(federatývnyj)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Urdu:
وفاقی
(wafāqī)
— pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations
Amharic:
ፌዴራል
(federal)
— pertaining to the national government level
Arabic:
فِدِرَالِيّ
(fidirāliyy)
— pertaining to the national government level
Arabic:
اِتِّحَادِيّ
(ittiḥādiyy)
— pertaining to the national government level
Armenian:
դաշնային
(dašnayin)
— pertaining to the national government level
Bulgarian:
федера́лен
(federálen)
— pertaining to the national government level
Burmese:
ဖက်ဒရယ်
(hpakda.rai)
— pertaining to the national government level
Catalan:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Czech:
federální
— pertaining to the national government level
Czech:
spolkový
— pertaining to the national government level
Danish:
føderal
— pertaining to the national government level
Dutch:
federaal
— pertaining to the national government level
Dutch:
bonds-
— pertaining to the national government level
Dutch:
rijks-
— pertaining to the national government level
Esperanto:
federacia
— pertaining to the national government level
Finnish:
liittovaltion
— pertaining to the national government level
French:
fédéral
— pertaining to the national government level
French:
fédérale
— pertaining to the national government level
Georgian:
ფედერალური
(pederaluri)
— pertaining to the national government level
Georgian:
ფედერაციული
(pederaciuli)
— pertaining to the national government level
German:
Bundes-
— pertaining to the national government level
German:
föderal
— pertaining to the national government level
Greek:
ομοσπονδιακός
(omospondiakós)
— pertaining to the national government level
Hebrew:
פדרלי
— pertaining to the national government level
Hindi:
संघीय
(saṅghīya)
— pertaining to the national government level
Hungarian:
államközi
— pertaining to the national government level
Hungarian:
szövetségi
— pertaining to the national government level
Irish:
feidearálach
— pertaining to the national government level
Italian:
federale
— pertaining to the national government level
Kazakh:
федеративті
(federativtı)
— pertaining to the national government level
Kazakh:
федеративтік
(federativtık)
— pertaining to the national government level
Norwegian Bokmål:
føderal
— pertaining to the national government level
Norwegian Nynorsk:
føderal
— pertaining to the national government level
Polish:
federalny
— pertaining to the national government level
Portuguese:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Romanian:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Russian:
федера́льный
(federálʹnyj)
— pertaining to the national government level
Serbo-Croatian:
фе̏дера̄лан
— pertaining to the national government level
Serbo-Croatian:
фе̏дера̄лнӣ
— pertaining to the national government level
Serbo-Croatian:
federalan
— pertaining to the national government level
Serbo-Croatian:
federalni
— pertaining to the national government level
Slovak:
federálny
— pertaining to the national government level
Slovene:
zvezdi
— pertaining to the national government level
Spanish:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Swedish:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Tagalog:
sang-isahan
— pertaining to the national government level
Turkish:
federal
— pertaining to the national government level
Urdu:
وفاق
(wafāq)
— pertaining to the national government level
Bulgarian:
федерален агент
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
Finnish:
liittovaltion poliisi
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
Georgian:
ფედერალი
(pederali)
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
Georgian:
ფედერალური აგენტი
(pederaluri agenṭi)
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
Hebrew:
סוכן פדרלי
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
Russian:
федера́л
(federál)
— a law-enforcement officer of the FBI
