self-educated

American  

[self-ej-oo-kay-tid, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈɛdʒ ʊˌkeɪ tɪd, ˈsɛlf- /

adjective

1. educated by one's own efforts, especially without formal instruction.

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self-educated British  

adjective

1. educated through one's own efforts without formal instruction

2. educated at one's own expense, without financial aid

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Other Word Forms

• self-education
  noun
• self-educating
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of self-educated

First recorded in 1810–20

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-educated

Galton was largely self-educated, an odd man who studied fingerprints and claimed to have proved through testing that praying doesn’t help matters.

From Slate ● Mar. 19, 2026

His novel “Caleb Williams” introduces an embattled young hero, born poor and largely self-educated, who perceives justice in exalted terms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026

Rigorously self-educated about the law and routinely targeted by guards, these inspiring subjects have stayed dedicated to nonviolent reform.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2025

Her lack of art-school education may have set her apart but, Homer French points out, every artist is self-educated.

From New York Times ● Jan. 12, 2024

I could stand my ground in calculus and physics with any straight-A student, and I was very proud of that, because in many ways I was self-educated.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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