government

A2 Topic:Law & Government

Also spelled govermnent and govment

US /ˈɡʌv.ɚ(n).mənt/ UK /ˈɡʌv.ə.mənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #882

Meanings

1

noun
The group of people who officially control and run a country.

The government reduced taxes this year.
2

noun
The system or method by which a country or area is ruled.

They lived for years under a system of tyrannical government.
3

noun
The act or process of ruling and managing a country.

The government of a large nation is a complex task.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the group of people who... authorities regime administration

3 noun · the act or process of... governance

Opposites

anarchy chaosinsurgencypeople rebellion uprising

Word family

Forms governments

Derived forms anti-governmentantigovernmentcountergovernmentcybergovernmente-governmentegovernmentgovernment-in-exilegovernment-to-persongovernmentalgovernmentesegovernmentishgovernmentism

Related forms authority govern governance governorocracypower

Appears in

Phrases (12)

See all

local government
the tier of government responsible for a town, city, or region

Adjective + noun
a government office
a building or department where public administration is carried out

Adjective + noun
central government
the national government, as distinct from regional or local authorities

Adjective + noun
federal government
the national government in a federal system, as opposed to state or provincial governments

Adjective + noun
elect a government
to choose a government through a democratic vote

Verb + noun
form a government
to establish or constitute a government after an election

Verb + noun

Proverbs (5)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English governement, from Old French governement (modern French gouvernement), from governer (see govern) + -ment. Morphologically govern + -ment. Displaced native Old English gerec, leodweard, ræden, rǣding and ealdordōm.

governement Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Law & Government

External links

# government

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɡʌv.ɚ(n).mənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɡʌv.ə.mənt/
**Frequency rank:** 882

## Meanings
1. The group of people who officially control and run a country.
2. The system or method by which a country or area is ruled.
3. The act or process of ruling and managing a country.

## Examples
- The government reduced taxes this year.
- They lived for years under a system of tyrannical government.
- The government of a large nation is a complex task.

## Antonyms
- anarchy
- chaos
- insurgency
- people
- rebellion
- uprising

## Derived Forms
- anti-government
- antigovernment
- countergovernment
- cybergovernment
- e-government
- egovernment
- government-in-exile
- government-to-person
- governmental
- governmentese
- governmentish
- governmentism

## Related Forms
- authority
- govern
- governance
- governor
- ocracy
- power

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: governement
- Affix: -ment - result

## Etymology
From Middle English governement, from Old French governement (modern French gouvernement), from governer (see govern) + -ment. Morphologically govern + -ment. Displaced native Old English gerec, leodweard, ræden, rǣding and ealdordōm.

## AI Etymology
Government comes from Middle English governement, from Old French governement (modern French gouvernement), from governer (see govern) + -ment. Morphologically govern + -ment. Displaced native Old English gerec, leodweard, ræden, rǣding and ealdordōm. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In current use, the main senses are “The group of people who officially control and run a country” and “The system or method by which a country or area is ruled”.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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