self-government, esp in domestic affairs
government the partial autonomy of cities and (in some states) counties, under which they manage their own affairs, with their own charters, etc, within the limits set by the state constitution and laws
the partial autonomy sometimes granted to a national minority or a colony
First recorded in 1855–60
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Denmark granted it home rule in 1979, and its 57,000 inhabitants retain the right to vote for independence.
From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, and did not gain home rule until 1979, however Copenhagen continued to oversee the healthcare system, before Greenland took responsibility in 1992.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
Are there any other issues besides home rule and statehood that you’ll want to focus on?
From Slate • Nov. 5, 2024
They had no choice but to pursue home rule, even at risk of fracturing or destroying their own party.
From Salon • Oct. 19, 2024
Irishmen like myself who believed in home rule and disbelieved in revolution did not agree with this spirit.
From The Invisible Censor by Hackett, Francis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
