confederate

UK: 'confederate', 'Confederate': /kənˈfɛdərət/

US: /adj., n. kənˈfɛdərɪt; v. kənˈfɛdəˌreɪt/

US: (adj., n. kən fed′ər it, -fed′rit; v. kən fed′ə rāt′)

Inflections of 'confederate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

confederates

v 3rd person singular

confederating

v pres p

confederated

v past

confederated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•fed•er•ate /adj., n. kənˈfɛdərɪt; v. kənˈfɛdəˌreɪt/   adj., n., v., -at•ed, -at•ing. 
adj. [usually: before a noun]

1. Government united in an alliance or conspiracy.
2. American History [Confederate] of or relating to the Confederate States of America.

n. [countable]

3. Government a person, nation, etc., united with others in a confederacy;
   an ally.
4. someone working with another in an illegal or criminal act;
   an accomplice.
5. American History [Confederate] a supporter of the Confederate States of America.

v. 

6. Government to unite in a league, alliance, or conspiracy: [no object]
   If those independent states manage to confederate, their combined power could be a threat to us.
   [~ + object]
   He tried to confederate the various states into one power.

See -fed-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•fed•er•ate  (adj., n. kən fed′ər it, -fed′rit;v. kən fed′ə rāt′), adj., n., v., -at•ed, -at•ing. 
adj. 

1. Government united in a league, alliance, or conspiracy.
2. American History (cap.) of or pertaining to the Confederate States of America:
   the Confederate army.

n. 

3. Government a person, group, nation, etc., united with others in a confederacy;
   an ally.
4. an accomplice, esp. in a mischievous or criminal act.
5. American History (cap.) [U.S. Hist.] a supporter of the Confederate States of America.

v.t., v.i. 

6. Government to unite in a league, alliance, or conspiracy.

• Late Latin confoederātus (past participle of confoederāre to unite in a league), equivalent. to con- con- + foeder- (stem of foedus) treaty (see fidelity) + -ātus -ate¹
• Middle English confederat 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 3. associate, partner, cohort.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

confederate noun / kənˈfɛdərɪt -ˈfɛdrɪt/

1. a nation, state, or individual that is part of a confederacy
2. someone who is part of a conspiracy; accomplice

adjective / kənˈfɛdərɪt -ˈfɛdrɪt/

1. united in a confederacy; allied

verb / kənˈfɛdəˌreɪt/

1. to form into or become part of a confederacy

Etymology: 14th Century: from Late Latin confoederātus, from confoederāre to unite by a league, from Latin com- together + foedus treaty

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Confederate / kənˈfɛdərɪt -ˈfɛdrɪt/ adjective

1. of, supporting, or relating to the Confederate States of America

noun

1. a supporter of the Confederate States of America