Szövetség

Szövetség is a Hungarian noun meaning an alliance, confederation, or federation formed by multiple parties, groups, or states to pursue common goals. The word comes from the verb szővetkezik ('to join forces') and the abstract noun suffix -ség, conveying the idea of weaving diverse parts into a single entity.

Usage spans political, military, economic, social, and cultural contexts. In international relations a szövetség denotes a formal, treaty-based association of states or organizations coordinating on security, defense, or policy. In domestic politics the term can refer to a durable partnership of parties or groups that share a platform, though in electoral contexts the term koalíció is more common for temporary government-forming alliances.

In civil life, szövetség is the standard name for federations and associations that govern or coordinate activities in a given field, such as a sport szövetség or a trade union szövetség. The word thus covers both formal institutions with dues-paying members and looser coalitions formed around shared interests.

Historical usage includes various regional and national alliances used to coordinate defense, trade, or cultural activities. In modern Hungarian, szövetség remains a neutral, versatile term capable of describing everything from international alliances to local professional associations.