federation

The word “federation” means a group of states, organizations, or groups joined together under one central governing body while keeping some independence. In plain terms, a union of separate groups or states that combine under one overall authority.

“Federation” is pronounced feh-duh-RAY-shuhn (/ˌfɛdəˈɹeɪ̯ʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “federation” used in a sentence: “The federation of trade unions coordinated the nationwide strike.”

“Federation” is a noun.

The word “federation” comes from Latin. From French fédération, ultimately from Latin foederare, "to join by treaty," related to federal.

“Federation” is a fairly common word in modern English.

A federation is a union in which member states share power with a strong central government that has authority over them, while a confederation is a looser alliance where members keep most of their sovereignty and the central body has limited power. In a federation the central government can usually act directly on citizens, whereas in a confederation it tends to act only through the member states.

Use "federation" when you want to stress that the joined states or groups keep some independence while operating under one central governing body. "Union" is broader and can describe any joining together, including looser alliances or fully merged arrangements.

A federation is a way of organizing government in which separate states or regions join under a central body while keeping some independence, whereas a nation refers broadly to a people or country united by identity, culture, or territory. A federation is one possible structure for governing a nation.

Common collocations include "federation of states," "sports federation," "world federation," and "federation of trade unions." The word frequently names organizations that unite smaller member groups under one umbrella body.