DictionaryAI

government

noun
GUV-urn-muhnt/ˈɡəvɚ(n)mənt/GUV-uhn-muhnt/ˈɡʌvə(n)mənt/

Pluralgovernments

6 meanings of government

Practice

  1. 1
    ruling bodynouncountable
    The body that holds the power to make and enforce laws over a country, region, people, or organization.

    The government raised taxes to pay for new schools and roads.

    Citizens expect their government to protect basic rights and keep order.

    UsageUsually use the government when referring to the people who run a country.

    Similaradministration, authorities, state

  2. 2
    nouncountable
    The particular party, coalition, or leader holding power at a given time, or their period in office.

    The Thatcher government lasted more than a decade.

    Many of these reforms began under the previous government.

    UsageOften with a leader's or party's name before it: the Thatcher government. Things happen under a government.

    Similaradministration, ministry

  3. 3
    legal namenounslangcountable or uncountableabbreviationellipsis
    Ellipsis of government name: a person's real legal name, rather than a nickname or alias.

    He finally revealed his government when the contract needed signing.

    Everyone called him Spider, but his government was Marcus Webb.

    UsageUsually used with a possessive: his government, your government.

    Note

    This clipped form keeps only the first word of government name and lets it carry the whole meaning. His government is his legal name, the one on official papers, as opposed to a nickname or street name. The contrast is the point: the word usually appears when a real name surfaces behind a familiar alias.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    debate (for side)nouncountable or uncountable
    In formal debating, the team responsible for presenting and arguing for a resolution, standing against the opposition.

    The government opened the debate by defining the motion clearly.

    As the government, they had to prove the resolution was true.

    Similarproposition, affirmative

    Oppositeopposition

    Note

    Competitive debate borrows the seating plan of the party in power. One side proposes and defends the motion, and the other side, the opposition, attacks it. The borrowing goes as far as job titles: speakers for the government side may be called prime minister and deputy. Their burden is to prove the resolution, not simply to cast doubt on the other side's case.

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

  2. 5
    grammarnoununcountable
    In grammar, the relationship by which one word determines the grammatical form of the words that depend on it.

    The government of the verb requires its object to appear in the accusative.

    Latin grammar books spend whole chapters on government, showing which case each verb demands.

    Similarrection, regimen

    Note

    Linguists borrowed the political picture. A head word rules, and its dependents take the form it dictates. The verb follows the same metaphor: a preposition governs the dative, and a verb governs its object. Rection and regimen are technical synonyms for the same relation. In general prose the word will be read as the ruling body, so grammatical writing usually makes its frame clear.

    Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

  3. 6
    noun
    The ongoing management or control of a system or process.
    The government of the Church is maintained without material alteration in a settled hierarchical form.
    1908, Walter Frederic Adeney, The Greek and Eastern churches

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of government apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English governement, borrowed from Old French governement (modern French gouvernement), built from governer 'to govern' (see govern) plus the suffix -ment. It replaced several native Old English words such as gerec and ealdordōm.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 6 facts