noun · 3 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
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CMU ARPABET:S EH1 L F G AH1 V ER0 N M AH0 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The governance of a region by its own populace; autonomy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
The radical party agitated for the region to secede from the confederation and establish self-government.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Personal self-control.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
government of a political unit by its own people
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: self-determination, self-rule
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: autonomy, liberty
Narrower terms: sovereignty, local option, home rule
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbh-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English government English self-government From self- + government.
Across languages
Translations
21 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Danish:
selvstyre
— governance of a region by its own populace
Esperanto:
memregado
— governance of a region by its own populace
Finnish:
itsehallinto
— governance of a region by its own populace
Galician:
goberno autónomo
— governance of a region by its own populace
Georgian:
თვითმმართველობა
(tvitmmartveloba)
— governance of a region by its own populace
Greek:
αυτοκυβέρνηση
(aftokyvérnisi)
— governance of a region by its own populace
Hindi:
स्वराज्य
(svarājya)
— governance of a region by its own populace
Hindi:
आत्मशासन
(ātmaśāsan)
— governance of a region by its own populace
Irish:
féinrialtas
— governance of a region by its own populace
Irish:
féinrialú
— governance of a region by its own populace
Irish:
féinriail
— governance of a region by its own populace
Lithuanian:
savivalda
— governance of a region by its own populace
Norman:
gouvèrnément dé sé
— governance of a region by its own populace
Norwegian Bokmål:
selvstyre
— governance of a region by its own populace
Polish:
samorząd
— governance of a region by its own populace
Portuguese:
governo autônomo
— governance of a region by its own populace
Russian:
самоуправление
(samoupravlenije)
— governance of a region by its own populace
Spanish:
autogobierno
— governance of a region by its own populace
Swedish:
självstyre
— governance of a region by its own populace
Swedish:
autonomi
— governance of a region by its own populace
Welsh:
hunanlywodraeth
— governance of a region by its own populace