self-improvement

[self-im-proov-muhnt, self-]

noun

1. improvement of one's mind, character, etc., through one's own efforts.

self-improvement

noun

1. the improvement of one's status, position, education, etc, by one's own efforts

Other Word Forms

• self-improvable adjective
• self-improver noun
• self-improving adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-improvement¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

A tour of his bookshelf shows his copy of PS, I Love You sitting alongside others on self-improvement, including Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, and one on how to be a better boyfriend.

From BBC

Still, it discloses enough for us to register how far Chris must travel in his self-improvement journey.

From Salon

He often sounded like a social worker, or a panelist at a self-improvement seminar.

From Los Angeles Times

This is the new white nationalism: decentralized, modernized, more agile and disguised as self-improvement.

From Salon

That’s sure to slow down his self-improvement efforts – a problem for another season, which the show is officially getting.

From Salon