confederacy

American  

[kuhn-fed-er-uh-see, -fed-ruh-see] / kənˈfɛd ər ə si, -ˈfɛd rə si /

noun

plural

confederacies

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.

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confederacy ¹ British  

/ -ˈfɛdrəsɪ, kənˈfɛdərəsɪ /

noun

1. a union or combination of peoples, states, etc; alliance; league

2. a combination of groups or individuals for unlawful purposes

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Confederacy ² British  

/ -ˈfɛdrəsɪ, kənˈfɛdərəsɪ /

noun

1. another name for Confederate States of America

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Confederacy Cultural  

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.)

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Other Word Forms

• confederal adjective

Etymology

Origin of confederacy

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. )

Example Sentences

“This was one way of shifting enslaved labor from agriculture to industry, a necessity for the confederacy during the Civil War,” says Lichtenstein.

From The Wall Street Journal

When Sam Nia and his wife arrived at their hotel in Nuuk, they were welcomed into a confederacy of stranded tourists whose flights had been unable to get out for days.

From The Wall Street Journal

The federal government entered into three treaties that affirmed the confederacy’s sovereignty and ownership over much of the northern part of New York state.

From Seattle Times

Known as “Lament for Confederation,” it was a landmark moment in First Nations history, calling out the meaning of the confederacy and the impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples.

From Seattle Times

This confederacy of society’s richest and most powerful people is determined to ruin Benny’s life.

From Los Angeles Times