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confederative

American  
[kuhn-fed-uh-rey-tiv, -er-uh-tiv, -fed-ruh-] / kənˈfɛd əˌreɪ tɪv, -ər ə tɪv, -ˈfɛd rə- /

adjective

  1. pertaining to or characteristic of a confederation.

Other Word Forms

  • anticonfederative adjective

Etymology

Origin of confederative

First recorded in 1810–20; confederate + -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In default of a confederative system, the several states were held in equilibrium by diplomacy.

From Project Gutenberg

In default of a confederative system, the several States were held in equilibrium by diplomacy.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.