Organized as a federation where separate groups join together while keeping some independence, like states in a united country.
From Latin 'foedus' (treaty, covenant) + '-ate' (to make). First used in English in the 1780s during American and Swiss political reorganizations. The root 'foedus' literally meant 'bound together' and evolved to mean unified political structures.
The word 'federated' is perfect for describing how the internet works—millions of independent computers agree to follow common protocols, just like how states agreed to the Constitution. It's the key to how things can be both independent AND connected at the same time.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.