Standard Lemma guide

self-made

adj · 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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1

adj

Meaning 1

Having achieved success by one's own efforts, with little to no support from family members and others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • My father was the quintessential self-made man.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: self-structured, self-formed

Antonyms: nepotistic, cronyish

2

adj

Meaning 2

Made by oneself instead of bought or taken over.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: homemade, homebrew, homespun, handmade; see also Thesaurus:custom-made

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: homemade, homebrew, homespun, handmade, custom-made, made-to-measure, made-to-order, tailor-made

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

having achieved success or recognition by your own efforts

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a self-made millionaire

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

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 made English self-made From self- + made.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عِصَامِيّ (ʕiṣāmiyy) — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Finnish: itse uransa luonut — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Finnish: oman onnensa seppä — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Greek: αυτοδημιούργητος (aftodimioúrgitos) — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Indonesian: swausaha — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Indonesian: usaha diri — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Italian: venuto dal niente — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Italian: fatto da sé — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Polish: zawdzięczający wszystko samemu sobie — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Russian: обя́занный всем самому́ себе́ (objázannyj vsem samomú sebé) — having achieved success by one's own efforts
  • Arabic: عِصَامِيّ (ʕiṣāmiyy) — made by oneself
  • Dutch: zelfgemaakt — made by oneself
  • Finnish: omatekoinen — made by oneself
  • Finnish: itse tehty — made by oneself
  • German: selbstgemacht — made by oneself
  • Indonesian: buatan sendiri — made by oneself
  • Indonesian: swabuat — made by oneself
  • Indonesian: swayasa — made by oneself
  • Polish: zrobiony samodzielnie — made by oneself
  • Polish: własnej roboty — made by oneself
  • Russian: самоде́льный (samodélʹnyj) — made by oneself
  • Spanish: casero — made by oneself
  • Spanish: hecho a mano — made by oneself
  • Spanish: hecho en casa — made by oneself
  • Ukrainian: саморо́бний (samoróbnyj) — made by oneself