confederacy

[ kuhn-fed-er-uh-see, -fed-ruh-see ]

noun

, plural con·fed·er·a·cies.

1. an alliance between persons, parties, states, etc., for some purpose.
2. a group of persons, parties, states, etc., united by such a confederacy.
3. a combination of persons for unlawful purposes; conspiracy.
4. the Confederacy. Confederate States of America.

confederacy

¹

/ -ˈfɛdrəsɪ; kənˈfɛdərəsɪ /

noun

1. a union or combination of peoples, states, etc; alliance; league
2. a combination of groups or individuals for unlawful purposes

Confederacy

²

/ kənˈfɛdərəsɪ; -ˈfɛdrəsɪ /

noun

1. See Confederate States of America
   the Confederacy
   the Confederacy another name for Confederate States of America

Confederacy

1. The Confederate States of America; the government formed in 1861 by southern states that proclaimed their secession from the United States. Jefferson Davis was its president. The Confederacy was dissolved after the Civil War . ( Compare Union .)

Derived Forms

• conˈfederal, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of confederacy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English confederacie, from Anglo-French, equivalent to Late Latin confoederāt(us) “united” (past participle of confoederāre “to unite in a league”; confederate ) + -ia -y ³( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of confederacy¹

C14: from Anglo-French confederacie, from Late Latin confoederātiō agreement, confederation

Example Sentences

Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, summed up the Southern attitude in his 1861 Cornerstone Speech.

From The Daily Beast

They severed the last railroad lifeline into Atlanta, making the Citadel of the Confederacy as it was touted no longer tenable.

From The Daily Beast

And it is a situation impossible to brush under the carpet because the Confederacy transformed the Union.

From The Daily Beast

But that bold suggestion went nowhere with the politicians, who stalled until the idea, along with the Confederacy, was dead.

From The Daily Beast

While the dream of the Confederacy was kept alive, the men on the battlefield on both sides perished by the tens of thousands.

From The Daily Beast

They were ready to adopt the most energetic measures to repel the interference of this armed confederacy.

From Project Gutenberg

The major objective of the Federal government became a clearcut one, namely, to capture Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

From Project Gutenberg

The magnificent courage and fervor of the Virginians as members of the Confederacy will always be cherished by posterity.

From Project Gutenberg

They relate to the culpable remissness of these Knoxville leaders in failing to volunteer in the cause of the Confederacy.

From Project Gutenberg

And this is the boasted liberty of the press in the Southern Confederacy!

From Project Gutenberg