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government

Pronunciation: /ˈgʌv(ə)nˌm(ə)nt, ˈgʌvəm(ə)nt/
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Definition of government

noun

  • 1 [treated as singular or plural] the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state; a particular ministry in office:the government’s economic record successive Labour governments
  • [mass noun] the system by which a state or community is governed:a democratic form of government
  • [mass noun] the action or manner of controlling or regulating a state, organization, or people:rules for the government of the infirmary
  • 2 Grammar the relation between a governed and a governing word.

Derivatives

governmental

Pronunciation: /-ˈmɛnt(ə)l/
adjective

governmentally

Pronunciation: /-ˈmɛnt(ə)li/
adverb

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French governement, from governer (see govern)

Spelling help

Remember that government is spelled with an n before the m.

Spelling tip

a government has to govern.

government in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of government in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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