self-government

[ self-guhv-ern-muhnt, -er-muhnt, self- ]

noun

1. control of the government of a state, community, or other body by its own members; democratic government.
2. the condition of being self-governed.
3. self-control.

self-government

noun

1. the government of a country, nation, etc, by its own people
2. the state of being self-controlled
3. See self-control
   an archaic term for self-control

Derived Forms

• ˌself-ˈgoverning, adjective
• ˌself-ˈgoverned, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-government¹

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

It could mean greater self-government within a Ukraine federation or a total break with Kiev.

From The Daily Beast

Rami Hamdallah has three weeks to form a coalition to rule over Palestine's limited self-government.

From The Daily Beast

This is ugly stuff, deeply self-defeating to the cause of self-government.

From The Daily Beast

This Sunday, the Israeli member of Knesset Adi Kol went to Ramallah, the seat of Palestine's limited self-government.

From The Daily Beast

This is self-government committing economic suicide, putting ideological absolutism ahead of solving problems.

From The Daily Beast

The question of the Filipinosʼ capacity for self-government has been frequently debated since the Rebellion of 1896.

From Project Gutenberg

Shall the Félibres aim at local self-government, at a confederation something like that of the Swiss cantons?

From Project Gutenberg

Content with self-government, the various communities, for the most part, easily bore the yoke of Roman supremacy.

From Project Gutenberg

Even so, indeed, the virtue of self-government continued to work.

From Project Gutenberg

In this sense, and this only, are any people capable of self-government.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• autonomy
• discretion
• flexibility
• immunity
• independence
• sovereignty