Webster's English Dictionary

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federal

fed.er.al \'fed-(*-)r*l\ \-(*-)r*-le-\ aj [L foeder-, foedus compact, 
   league; akin to L fidere to trust] - more at BIDE archaic  1: of or 
   relating to a compact or treaty  2a: formed by a compact between political 
   units that surrender their indiv idual sovereignty to a central authority 
   but retain limited residuary powers of government 2b: of or constituting a 
   form of government in which power is distributed  between a central 
   authority and a number of constituent territorial units 2c: of or relating 
   to the central government of a federation as distinguis hed from the 
   governments of the constituent units cap  3: advocating or friendly to the 
   principle of a federal government with st rong centralized powers; esp : of 
   or relating to the American Federalists often cap  4: of, relating to, or 
   loyal to the federal government or the Union armies  of the U.S. in the 
   American Civil War - fed.er.al.ly avFederal n 1: a supporter of the 
   government of the U.S. in the Civil War; specif  : a soldier in the federal 
   armies 2: a federal agent or officer