self-government

American  

[self-guhv-ern-muhnt, -er-muhnt, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈgʌv ərn mənt, -ər mənt, ˈsɛlf- /

noun

1. control of the government of a state, community, or other body by its own members; democratic government.

2. the condition of being self-governed.

3. self-control.

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self-government British  

noun

1. the government of a country, nation, etc, by its own people

2. the state of being self-controlled

3. an archaic term for self-control

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Other Word Forms

• self-governed adjective
• self-governing adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-government

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

This is already happening in Washington, where the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gave the city limited self-government, allows Congress oversight.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

They want their own right of self-determination and self-government in their Native nations.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2026

Those frustrations built until a 2009 self-government act, approved by three-quarters of Greenland voters, which charted a path for independence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

Greenland, which has a population of 57,000 people, has had extensive self-government since 1979, though defence and foreign policy remain in Danish hands.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

The proper role of the League, Lawes believed, ought to be as a “moral force,” not an actual mechanism of self-government.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• autonomy
• discretion
• flexibility
• immunity
• independence
• sovereignty