/ ˌfedəˈreɪʃn; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C ] a country consisting of a group of individual states that have control over their own affairs but are controlled by a central government for national decisions, etc. :
the Russian Federation
2.
[ C ] a group of clubs, trade / labor unions , etc. that have joined together to form an organization :
the International Tennis Federation
3.
[ U ] the act of forming a federation :
Many MPs are against federation in Europe.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 18th cent.: from French fédération , from late Latin foederatio(n-) , from the verb foederare to ally, from foedus league.