Definition of confederate

The word "confederate" originated in the 16th century when it was used to refer to a coalition or alliance between independent states or nations. The term derives from the Latin words "con" (meaning "with") and "federātus" (meaning "league" or "allied"). One of the earliest recorded uses of "confederate" comes from a 1573 English legal document, where it was used to describe individuals who voluntarily joined together to form an agreement or a bond. By the 17th century, the term began to be used to describe political unions between two or more sovereign states, such as the Holy Roman Empire and its constituent states, or the Swiss Confederation. During the American Civil War, the term "Confederate" was used to describe the soldiers and states that rebelled against the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. This usage of "Confederate" to refer specifically to the secessionist states during this historical period remains a part of American English today. Overall, the word "confederate" has come to carry both positive and negative connotations, depending on the context. While it continues to be used to describe alliances between mutually cooperative entities, it has also taken on a more negative connotation in the context of the American Civil War, where it is closely associated with the Confederacy's history of slavery and secession.