| 释义 |
con·fed·er·a·cy
\kənˈfed(ə)rəsē, -si, rap. -dərs-\ noun
(-es)
Etymology: Middle English confederacie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin confoederation-, confoederatio agreement, compact — more at confederation
1. : a league or compact between two or more persons, bodies of men, or states for mutual support or common action : alliance
2. : a combination of persons to do an unlawful act or to do a lawful act by unlawful means — see conspiracy
3. : the body formed by persons, bodies, states, or nations united by a league; especially : a union of states
< the United States was originally a confederacy >
< the Southern Confederacy >
— now usually used to imply a looser union than federation |