federation
UK: ˌfedəˈreɪʃn | US: ˌfedəˈreɪʃn
n. A group of states or organizations united under a central authority while retaining limited autonomy.
n. The act of forming such a union.
The word "federation" derives from the Latin foedus (treaty, league), which evolved into federare (to unite by treaty). The morpheme "feder" preserves the idea of a binding agreement, while "-ation" transforms it into a noun denoting the result or process of unification. Historically, it reflects the concept of political or organizational alliances formed through mutual agreement, emphasizing both unity and retained independence.
The European Union is a powerful economic and political federation.
The federation of states agreed to share resources for mutual benefit.
Sports federations oversee international competitions.
The trade federation negotiated new regulations with the government.
A federation of local clubs organized the charity event.