con ‧ fed ‧ e ‧ rate /kənˈfed ə rət, kənˈfed ə rɪt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: past participle of confoederare , from Latin com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + foedus ( , ↑ federal ) ]
1 . formal someone who helps someone else do something, especially something secret or illegal SYN accomplice :
The young woman was his confederate, of course.
2 . a member of a confederacy
—confederate adjective