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noun
1.
2.
the form or system of rule by which a state, community, etc., is governed: monarchical government; episcopal government.
3.
the governing body of persons in a state, community, etc.; administration.
4.
a branch or service of the supreme authority of a state or nation, taken as representing the whole: a dam built by the government.
5.
a.
the particular group of persons forming the cabinet at any given time: The Prime Minister has formed a new government.
b.
the parliament along with the cabinet: The government has fallen.
Related forms
gov·ern·men·tal·ly, adverb
coun·ter·gov·ern·ment, noun
non·gov·ern·ment, noun
non·gov·ern·men·tal, adjective
pro-gov·ern·ment, adjective
re·gov·ern·ment, noun
sem·i·gov·ern·men·tal, adjective
sem·i·gov·ern·men·tal·ly, adverb
sub·gov·ern·ment, noun
un·der·gov·ern·ment, noun
un·gov·ern·men·tal, adjective
un·gov·ern·men·tal·ly, adverb
Pronunciation note
Normal phonological processes are reflected in a variety of pronunciations for government. Most commonly, the first
[n] of [guhv-ern-muh
nt] assimilates to the immediately following [m] with the resulting identical nasal sounds coalescing to give the pronunciation [guhv-er-muhnt]. This pronunciation is considered standard and occurs throughout the U.S. For speakers in regions where postvocalic [r] is regularly lost, as along the Eastern Seaboard and in the South, the resulting pronunciation is [guhv-uh-muhnt] or, with loss of the medial unstressed vowel, [guhv-muhnt]. Further assimilation, in which the labiodental [v] in anticipation of the bilabial quality of the following [m] becomes the bilabial stop [b] leads in the South Midland and Southern U.S. to the pronunciation [guhb-muhnt] See isn't.
Normal phonological processes are reflected in a variety of pronunciations for government. Most commonly, the first
[n] of [guhv-ern-muhnt] assimilates to the immediately following [m] with the resulting identical nasal sounds coalescing to give the pronunciation [guhv-er-muhnt]. This pronunciation is considered standard and occurs throughout the U.S. For speakers in regions where postvocalic [r] is regularly lost, as along the Eastern Seaboard and in the South, the resulting pronunciation is [guhv-uh-muhnt] or, with loss of the medial unstressed vowel, [guhv-muhnt]. Further assimilation, in which the labiodental [v] in anticipation of the bilabial quality of the following [m] becomes the bilabial stop [b] leads in the South Midland and Southern U.S. to the pronunciation [guhb-muhnt] See isn't.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To govern-mental
00:10
Govern-mental
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
government (ˈɡʌvənmənt, ˈɡʌvəmənt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the exercise of political authority over the actions, affairs, etc, of a political unit, people, etc, as well as the performance of certain functions for this unit or body; the action of governing; political rule and administration |
| 2. | the system or form by which a community, etc, is ruled: tyrannical government |
| 3. | a. the executive policy-making body of a political unit, community, etc; ministry or administration: yesterday we got a new government |
| b. (capital when of a specific country): the British Government | |
| 4. | a. the state and its administration: blame it on the government |
| b. (as modifier): a government agency | |
| 5. | regulation; direction |
| 6. | grammar the determination of the form of one word by another word |
| governmental | |
| —adj | |
| govern'mentally | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
government
1550s, "system by which a thing is governed" (especially a state), from O.Fr. governement (Mod.Fr. gouvernement), from governer (see govern). Replaced M.E. governance. Meaning "action of governing" is from 1560s; meaning "governing power" in a given place is from 1702.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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