fid-, fidel-

(Latin: believe, belief; trust, faith, true)

Esto miles fidelis. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be thou a faithful soldier."
Esto semper fidelis. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be ever faithful."
Estote fideles. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be ye faithful."
Exto fidelis. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be faithful."
faith (s) (noun), faiths (pl)
faithful (adjective), more faithful, most faithful
faithfully (adverb), more faithfully, most faithfully
faithfulness (s) (noun), (no plural)
faithless (adjective), more faithless, most faithless
faithlessness (s) (noun) (no plural)
fealty (s) (noun), fealties (pl)
The obligation of trustworthiness on the part of a feudal tenant or vassal to his lord.
federal (adjective) (not comparable)
1. A form of government in which governmental power is shared between a central government and individual states, provinces, regions, etc. which give up some political powers; such as, foreign affairs, to the central government while keeping a limited measure of self-government: "A federal country or system is one in which individual states make their own laws, but a national government is responsible for areas such as military defense and foreign policy."
2. Relating to, involving, or typical of a classical style of architecture, decoration, and furniture popular in the United States in the late 18th and the early 19th centuries.
3. Etymology: from the 1640's, as a theological term, from French fédéral which came from Latin foedus, foederis, "covenant, league, treaty, alliance"; related to fides, "faith".

The meaning, "pertaining to a treaty" is from the 1650's and led to the political sense of "a state formed by agreement among independent states" from 1707; then from phrases like "federal union" it became "union based on a treaty" then in 1776-1787, it became a common reference to the formation of the United States of America.

federation (s) (noun), federations (pl)
1. A country formed by separate states which have yielded certain powers to a central government while keeping control over local issues.
2. An organization which consists of smaller organizations that are joined together: "Sharon was a member of a federation of women's clubs."
fiance, fiancé (s) (noun); fiances, fiancés (pl)
1. A man to whom a woman is engaged to be married.
2. Etymology: from French, past participle of fiancer, "to betroth"; from Old French fiancier, from fiancé, "trust"; from fier, "to trust"; from Latin fidere, "to trust".
Fide et literis. (Latin motto)
Translation: "By faith and by letters."

Motto of St. Paul's School, London, U.K.

Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "faith, trust; faithful, trusting; believe, belief": cred-; dox-.