pre-Confederationadj.
/ˌpriːkənˌfɛdəˈreɪʃən/, U.S. /ˌprikənˌfɛdəˈreɪʃən/, Canadian English /ˌpriːkənˌfedəˈreiʃən/ Chiefly Canadian History.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of the period prior to the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867 from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia; (also occasionally) prior to a particular province or territory subsequently joining this confederation. In later use also more generally: of or relating to the period prior to any confederation.
ΚΠ
1877 Times 7 Dec. 3/2 The course taken, in pre-Confederation days, by one Crown Colony Governor in having reduced the area of reserves assigned to Indians under the authority of his predecessor.
1943 Lethbridge (Alberta) Herald 25 June 14/1 Practically all early Canadian pre-confederation stamps are valuable.
1952 H. L. L. Keenleyside Canada & U.S. vii. iv. 247 With the entry of Newfoundland into the Canadian federation, it was necessary to extend fishery privileges on the Atlantic banks to other foreign fishing vessels.., in line with the pre-confederation practice in Newfoundland.
1958 W. E. F. Ward Hist. Ghana (ed. 2) 62 For any member of a tribe which had become part of the Ashanti confederation, it was a punishable offence to relate the earlier, pre-confederation period, history of his own tribe.
1992 Cent. Home June 56 (advt.) We offer a large inventory of quality pre-confederation formal and country furniture and decorative accessories in an 1865 setting.
2004 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 21 Dec. s9 He..later wrote an eight-volume history of pre-confederation Canada.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1877