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 group of people who make and enforce the laws of a country or area.

    Like the head of a family who sets the rules everyone must follow.

    The government passed a new law about road safety this year.

    The government sends money to help farmers after a bad storm.

    UsageSay the government for the people who run your country.

    Similaradministration, authorities, state

  2. 2
    nouncountable
    The group or leader in power at a certain time, or how long they are in power.

    Like a coach's time leading a team before a new coach takes over.

    The new government lasted only two years before it lost the election.

    Under her government, taxes on small businesses went down.

    UsagePut a leader's name first: the Thatcher government. Say under the new government.

    Similaradministration, ministry

  3. 3
    legal namenounslangcountable or uncountableabbreviationellipsis
    Ellipsis of government name. It means a person's full legal name as it appears on official records.

    She wouldn't tell anyone her government, only her nickname.

    Put your government on the form, not your stage name.

    UsageUsually used with a possessive, as in my government or her government.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    debate (for side)nouncountable or uncountable
    In a debate, the team that argues in favor of the topic, not against it.

    Like the side in a game that defends "yes" while the other side argues "no."

    Our team was the government, so we argued for the new rule.

    In the debate, the government argued that school should start later.

    Similarproposition, affirmative

    Oppositeopposition

    Note
  2. 5
    grammarnoununcountable
    The way one word controls the form of other words connected to it.

    Like a boss who decides what uniform the workers under them must wear.

    The government of a verb can force a noun to change its ending.

    In some languages, government links a preposition to a special noun form.

    Similarrection, regimen

    Note
  3. 6
    noun
    The act of managing or controlling a system.
    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 Old French governement, from governer meaning 'to govern' plus the ending -ment. It came into English through Middle English.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts