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self-study

American  
[self-stuhd-ee] / ˈsɛlfˈstʌd i /

noun

  • self-studies
    plural
  1. the study of something by oneself, as through books, records, etc., without direct supervision or attendance in a class.

    She learned to read German by self-study.

  2. the study of oneself; self-examination.


adjective

  1. designed for or accomplished by self-study.

    a self-study course for learning German.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of self-study

First recorded in 1675–85


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Learning a language in a systematic way can be challenging, whether in a classroom or from a self-study course.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026

I admit, my self-study proved to be pretty darn anxiety-producing.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2023

The UoM said in a statement to students that the change was "not driven by financial motivations" and was about "augmenting" in-person teaching with "high quality online materials for self-study".

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2021

A diligent student who learned calculus through online self-study, she couldn’t concentrate in class.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2020

Suddenly a voice asked, “Teacher Zhang, since it’s self-study, can we go home to do it?”

From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang

Carlile is a master of the voice-cracking power ballad, and her intimate self-studies nevertheless speak to anyone who has ever felt like a misfit, which is just about everyone.

From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2021

Feilding also recommends that the seminaries and churches conduct ceaseless self-studies to make sure that their procedures, and their products, are up to date.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Wallace Collection in London alone possesses two of the master's self-studies, as does also the Berlin Picture-Gallery, all of which are contemporary with this picture.

From The Standard Galleries - Holland by Esther Singleton

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