confederacy

con·fed·er·a·cy

noun \kən-ˈfe-d(ə-)rə-sē\

plural con·fed·er·a·cies

Definition of CONFEDERACY

1

: a league or compact for mutual support or common action : alliance

2

: a combination of persons for unlawful purposes : conspiracy

3

: the body formed by persons, states, or nations united by a league; specifically capitalized : the 11 southern states seceding from the United States in 1860 and 1861

Examples of CONFEDERACY

1. a confederacy of native tribes
2. the last state to join the Confederacy

First Known Use of CONFEDERACY

14th century

Related to CONFEDERACY

Synonyms: alliance, axis, bloc, block, coalition, combination, combine, confederation, federation, league, union

Related Words: cabal, conspiracy, junto; cartel, syndicate, trust; faction, front, fusion, side, wing; association, group, organization; affiliation, cooperative, partnership; circuit, conference

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Other History Terms

agonistic, carpetbagger, enceinte, fief, historiography, paladin