confederacy

== English == === Alternative forms === confœderacy (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English confederacie, from Anglo-Norman confederacie, from Latin cōnfoederātiō. Doublet of confederation. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kənˈfɛdəɹəsi/ === Noun === confederacy (plural confederacies) An alliance. (politics) A state where the sovereign constituent units delegate their authority to the centre. As opposed to a federation, where the central and regional governments are each equal and sovereign in their own sphere. Specifically, an instance of a decentralized governing structure among the indigenous peoples of North America. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ====