Standard Lemma guide

quango

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkwæŋ.ɡəʊ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æŋɡəʊ

1

noun

Meaning 1

An organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, derogatory, often

Topics: government

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a quasi nongovernmental organization; an organization that is financed by the government yet acts independently of the government

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quasi-NGO

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organization, organisation

History

Etymology

From the initial letters (the first two letters for the first word) of quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization. Coined by American president of the Carnegie Foundation Alan Pifer in 1967.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: autorité administrative indépendante — organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it
  • Polish: quango — organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it
  • Russian: кванго (kvango) — organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it
  • Serbo-Croatian: kvazi-autonomna nevladina organizacija — organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it
  • Welsh: cwango — organization that, although financed by a government, acts independently of it