Definition of "federalism" []

• A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. (noun)
• Advocacy of such a system of government. (noun)
• The doctrine of the Federalist Party. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The term federalism conjures up more functional and pragmatic ideas about the role of the states...."
• "All of these things are wrapped up in the term federalism, so I don't think we know the extent of the actual differences and whether they could be breached at some later time."
• "The term federalism is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and constituent political units (like states or provinces)."