confederate

[ adjective, noun kuhn-fed-er-it, -fed-rit; verb kuhn-fed-uh-reyt ]

/ adjective, noun kənˈfɛd ər ɪt, -ˈfɛd rɪt; verb kənˈfɛd əˌreɪt /

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See synonyms for: confederate / confederated / confederating on Thesaurus.com

Definition of confederate

adjective

united in a league, alliance, or conspiracy.

(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Confederate States of America: the Confederate army.

noun

a person, group, nation, etc., united with others in a confederacy; an ally.

an accomplice, especially in a mischievous or criminal act.

(initial capital letter)U.S. History. a supporter of the Confederate States of America.

verb (used with or without object), con·fed·er·at·ed, con·fed·er·at·ing.

to unite in a league, alliance, or conspiracy.

OTHER WORDS FOR confederate

3 associate, partner, cohort.

See synonyms for confederate on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of confederate

1350–1400; Middle English confederat<Late Latin confoederātus (past participle of confoederāre to unite in a league), equivalent to con-con- + foeder- (stem of foedus) treaty (see fidelity) + -ātus-ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM confederate

half-Con·fed·er·ate, adjectivenon·con·fed·er·ate, adjective, nounpro-Con·fed·er·ate, adjectiveun·con·fed·er·at·ed, adjective

Words nearby confederate

confectioners' sugar, confectionery, confed., confederacy, confederal, confederate, Confederate jasmine, Confederate Memorial Day, Confederate States of America, Confederate War, confederation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use confederate in a sentence

In the rural areas surrounding Jackson, I’ll regularly pass confederate flags and dog whistles in the form of heavily wrapped militia trucks and bumper stickers.
Mountain Towns Still Don’t Know How to Talk About Racism|lwhelan|July 29, 2022|Outside Online
For me, today was an emotional day because in all my years as a resident of this city and as the mayor of this city I never thought I would see a day when all of the confederate statuary would be removed from Monument Avenue.
Richmond's Robert E. Lee Statue Is Gone. Now It’s Up to the City to Shape What That Means|Janell Ross|September 9, 2021|Time
On Saturday, Charlottesville officials approved the removal of several confederate statues after years of activism to remove them.
Charlottesville Removes Confederate Statues|Malaika Jabali|July 13, 2021|Essence.com
Although Southern did not automatically equal neo-Confederate, at times the distinction could easily get lost.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Yet all too often the line between Southern and Confederate can get blurred.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In July, he gave $12.3 million to refurbish the Virginia home of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate General.
Patriotic Philanthropy: Not an Oxymoron|Eleanor Clift|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Gary Gallagher writes about the Union and Confederate armies.
What Lincoln Could Teach Fox News|Scott Porch|November 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Close to three and a half million men fought in the war, and nearly 700,000, both Union and Confederate troops, died.
The High Society Bank Robber of the 1800s|J. North Conway|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If you have any thoughts of influencing me or my men to join the regular Confederate army, you may as well give up the idea.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
She somehow felt like a confederate in crime, and tried to look severe and disapproving.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The Confederate government had considered the action a hostile act and had acted accordingly.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
When he saw the Confederate flag in the hands of the Federal officer, he shot him in the breast.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
While the winter passed, the Union forces kept receiving enforcements while the Confederate forces had no reenforcements.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey

British Dictionary definitions for confederate (1 of 2)

confederate

noun (kənˈfɛdərɪt, -ˈfɛdrɪt)

a nation, state, or individual that is part of a confederacy

someone who is part of a conspiracy; accomplice

adjective (kənˈfɛdərɪt, -ˈfɛdrɪt)

united in a confederacy; allied

verb (kənˈfɛdəˌreɪt)

to form into or become part of a confederacy

Word Origin for confederate

C14: from Late Latin confoederātus, from confoederāre to unite by a league, from Latin com- together + foedus treaty

British Dictionary definitions for confederate (2 of 2)

Confederate

/ (kənˈfɛdərɪt, -ˈfɛdrɪt) /

adjective

of, supporting, or relating to the Confederate States of America

noun

a supporter of the Confederate States of America

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for confederate

Confederate

A descriptive term for the institutions and people of the Confederacy.

confederate

Definition of confederate

OTHER WORDS FOR confederate

Origin of confederate

OTHER WORDS FROM confederate

Words nearby confederate

Words related to confederate

How to use confederate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for confederate (1 of 2)

Word Origin for confederate

British Dictionary definitions for confederate (2 of 2)

Cultural definitions for confederate