(in the US) the banking authority that performs the functions of a central bank and is used to implement the country's monetary policy, providing a national system of reserve cash available to banks.
Definition of Federal Reserve in US English:
Federal Reserve
proper noun
The federal banking authority in the US that performs the functions of a central bank and is used to implement the country's monetary policy, providing a national system of reserve cash available to banks. Created in 1913, the Federal Reserve System consists of twelve Federal Reserve Districts, each having a Federal Reserve Bank. These are controlled from Washington, DC, by the Federal Reserve Board consisting of governors appointed by the US president with Senate approval.