# federation

/ˌfɛdɝˈeɪʃən/ (US) · /fˌɛdəɹˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/federation
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a group of states

noun · CEFR B2

a country formed by several states that have joined together under one central government.

For teachers: a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government.

- The country is a federation of several different states, each with its own local laws.
- The constitutional debate focused on whether the federation should grant more autonomy to the individual states or strengthen the central authority.

Usage: Often used as a countable noun to describe a specific country.

### 2. an organisation

noun · CEFR B2

a large organisation made up of smaller groups that work together for a common goal.

For teachers: an association or society formed by the merging of several separate groups or bodies.

- The national football federation decided to change the rules for the upcoming season.
- The international federation of journalists issued a formal statement condemning the new censorship laws.

### 3. computing networks

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a group of different computer networks or providers that work together so users can communicate across them.

For teachers: a group of computing or telecommunications providers that agree on standards to allow interoperability across different systems.

- The new software allows for federation between different social media platforms.
- Identity federation enables users to access multiple applications across different domains using a single set of credentials.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the concept of connecting systems.

Teaching tip: This is a common term in modern cloud computing and social media (the 'fediverse').

### 4. Australian architecture

adjective · CEFR C2 · Dialect · American English

a style of building that was popular in Australia around the year 1901.

For teachers: relating to an architectural style in Australia prevalent from around 1890 to 1915, coinciding with the country's political federation.

- They live in a beautiful Federation house with high ceilings and red brick walls.
- The suburb is famous for its well-preserved Federation bungalows, which feature ornate timberwork and leadlight windows.

Usage: Always capitalised in this sense.

Teaching tip: This is highly specific to Australian history and real estate; learners outside Australia rarely encounter it.

## Examples

- The university uses a federation to share research data with other schools.
- By joining the identity federation, the small college allowed its students to access thousands of academic journals hosted on external servers.
- Modern cloud architecture often relies on a federation of services where disparate providers agree on security protocols to ensure seamless data exchange without centralising control of the entire infrastructure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.