adj

federal

FEH-duh-ruhl

adj

Relating to a system where a central government shares power with state or regional governments.

"Federal law overrides conflicting state law in many areas."

"The federal government funds interstate highways."

noun

An officer working for a federal law-enforcement agency.

"A federal was sent to investigate the fraud case."

How to Use Federal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo do with the national, central level of government rather than the state or local level.

UK vs US

Most relevant in countries with a federal structure, like the US, Australia, and Germany — the UK has no equivalent "federal" tier.

Common pairings

federal government federal law federal agent

federals plural

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Can you complete this real example?

_____ law overrides conflicting state law in many areas.

From French fédéral, from Latin foedus, "covenant, treaty, alliance."

fed

fed

feral general liberal funeral lateral mineral several visceral ephemeral bilateral collateral unilateral

fed