Etymology From French fédéral, from Latin stem foeder- of foedus (“covenant, league, treaty, alliance”).
1
Pertaining to a league or treaty; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, especially between nations.
Yet the Romans, taking them [the Carthaginians] at an Advantage, vvhen they vvere in Streights; compell'd them, contrary to all Fœderal Right and Juſtice, by Nevv Articles, both to part with Sardinia, their Lavvful Territory, and alſo to pay them for the future, a Double Tribute.1701, Nehemiah Grew, “Of Providence over Publick States”, in Cosmologia Sacra: Or A Discourse of the Universe as It is the Creature and Kingdom of God. […], London: […] W[illiam] Rogers, S[amuel] Smith, and B[enjamin] Walford: […], →OCLC, 3rd book, paragraph 27, page 113:
2
Pertaining to the national government level in a federal nation, as opposed to state, provincial, county, city, or town.
That this Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that it views the powers of the federal government as resulting from the compact to which the states are parties, as limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting that compact, as no further valid than they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; [...]1798, James Madison, Virginia Resolutions of 1798:
From April 1995 to May 1996, the Subcommittee on Crime of the House Committee on the Judiciary and the Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight jointly conducted an investigation into the actions of the Federal agencies involved in law enforcement activities near Waco, TX in late 1992 and early 1993 toward a group known as the Branch Davidians.1996, United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Activities of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Toward the Branch Davidians:
1 more example
Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or on-site Federal employees, on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.2021, Joe Biden, Executive Order 13991 (Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing), Section 1 (Policy):
Cities and small towns alike, from Charleroi, Pennsylvania, and Springfield, Ohio, to Whitewater, Wisconsin, have seen significant influxes of migrants. Even major urban centers such as New York City, Chicago, and Denver have sought Federal aid to manage the burden of new arrivals.2025 January 20, “REALIGNING THE UNITED STATES REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM”, in whitehouse.gov, archived from the original on 18 Mar 2025: