confederate

confederate · adjective, noun¹

1. Late Latin · derived fromcōnfoederātus
2. Middle English · inherited fromconfederat(e)“confederated, allied, associated in a plot; united or bound, as in friendship or troth”
3. English todayconfederate

First attested in 1387, in Middle english; inherited from Middle English confederat(e) (“confederated, allied, associated in a plot; united or bound, as in friendship or troth”), borrowed from Late Latin cōnfoederātus perfect passive participle of cōnfoederō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix). Regular participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English. By surface analysis, con- + federate.

confederate · verb²

1. Late Latin · borrowed fromcōnfoederātus
2. English todayconfederate

First attested in 1531; borrowed from Late Latin cōnfoederātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Doublet of (obsolete) confeder.

First known use, by meaning

• 19th c. Of or relating to the Confederate States of America.
• 19th c. A citizen of the Confederate States of America.