No. 434 in French
fédéral
Relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs.
In a sentence
Le gouvernement fédéral a annoncé de nouvelles réformes.
The federal government announced new reforms.
Here, 'fédéral' describes the government that operates at a national level, typically as opposed to state or local governments.
Elle travaille dans une agence fédérale spécialisée en sécurité.
She works in a federal agency specializing in security.
Here, 'fédérale' (the feminine form) is used as an adjective to describe an agency that is part of the national government.
La structure fédérale d'un pays permet une meilleure autonomie des régions.
The federal structure of a country allows better autonomy for its regions.
Here, 'fédérale' qualifies 'structure,' indicating a governmental system where power is divided between a central authority and constituent regions or states.
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