federal department
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A federal department is a primary unit of the executive branch of the United States federal government. It is a major administrative organization with a broad area of national responsibility, headed by a secretary who is a member of the President's cabinet.
Usage
The term "federal department" is used to refer to one of the principal executive agencies of the U.S. government. It is a formal and official term.
Examples
- The federal department responsible for foreign policy is the Department of State.
- Creating a new federal department requires congressional approval.
- The budget for that federal department was increased this fiscal year.
Advanced Usage
- "Cabinet-level federal department": This phrase explicitly emphasizes that the department's head (the Secretary) serves in the President's Cabinet.
- The Department of Homeland Security was established as a cabinet-level federal department in 2002.
Variants and Related Words
- Executive Department: A synonymous formal term.
- Department: Often used alone when the federal context is clear (e.g., "the Department of Defense").
- Agency: A broader term that can include federal departments but also refers to smaller, independent government units (e.g., the Environmental Protection Agency is an independent agency, not a federal department).
Synonyms
- Government department
- Ministry (commonly used in other countries for equivalent structures)
Notes on Different Meanings
The term "federal department" is specific to the structure of the U.S. government. In other federal systems (e.g., Canada, Germany), similar high-level administrative units may have different official titles (e.g., ministry, portfolio). The core concept is a major, top-tier administrative division of the national/federal government.
Noun
- a department of the federal government of the United States