Contents
English
Most common English words: according « walked « office « #600: government » particular » charge » churchEtymology
From Middle English governement, < Old French, < Latin gubernatio (“‘management, government’”), < Ancient Greek κυβερνισμός (kubernismos), κυβέρνησις (kubernēsis), “‘steering, pilotage, guiding’”), < κυβερνάω (kubernaō), “‘I steer, drive, guide, pilot’”) + -ment.
Pronunciation
- (RP) IPA: /ˈgʌvənmənt/, SAMPA: /"gVv@nm@nt/
- (GenAm) IPA: /ˈɡʌvɚnmənt/, SAMPA: /"gVv@`nm@nt/
- Audio (US)help, file
- Hyphenation: gov‧ern‧ment
Noun
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Singular government |
Plural countable and uncountable; plural governments |
government (countable and uncountable; plural governments)
- The body with the power to make and/or enforce laws for a country, land area, people, or organization.
- A group of people who hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in a given territory.
- The state and its administration viewed as the ruling political power.
- (uncountable) The management or control of a system.
- The tenure of a chief of state.
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Related terms
Usage notes
In the United States, "government" most often refers to the permanent body of the bureaucracy, courts, etc., what might be called the state in Britain. The British sense of "the government" is the prime minister and his cabinet ministers, what Americans would call an administration. In Canada government is used in both senses and neither state nor administration are used.
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