Meaning & use

federation

noun·Academic

A group of states or organizations united under a central authority while keeping some internal self-government.

See it in a sentence

Russia is officially known as the Russian Federation, made up of many regions.

The international chess federation sets the official rules for tournament play.

A note on using this word

'Federation' implies member states or groups keep significant independent power, unlike a fully centralized unitary state.

Words with a similar meaning

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