Relating to or formed by federation; organized in a way that unites separate parts while allowing them independence.
From Latin 'foederativus,' derived from 'foedus' (treaty). The English form emerged in the 1700s to describe governmental structures based on federal principles.
The European Union uses a 'federative' model where Germany, France, and Poland each keep their own governments but share common courts and currency—it's federalism in action.
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