self-education

noun

self-ed·​u·​ca·​tion ˌself-ˌe-jə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce self-education (audio)
plural self-educations
: the act or process of educating oneself by one's own efforts especially through reading and informal study
… her painstaking self-education in all matters pertaining to New York …James Traub
also : the skills or knowledge attained through self-education
[Mark] Coen purchased the old church for its space, moved in and set up shop while endeavoring to achieve a self-education in carpentry. Carrie Manner

Examples of self-education in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web They had been educated during the worst years of Soviet stagnation, gaining an appetite for underground self-education and for studying the reforms of socialist economies in Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Poland. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 10 July 2024 Instead, the duo spent years watching films, reading scripts and dissecting the techniques of their favorite directors in an admirable feat of self-education. Jamie Lang, Variety, 16 May 2024 Founding father Benjamin Franklin knew better than most the benefits of self-education. Elizabeth Webster, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024 Lee’s twenties were also a time of self-education and inquiry. Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2024 Give back through volunteering, donating, or self-education, the better to ramp up empathy and connectedness. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023 But ultimately, this method really comes down to thoughtfulness, artistry, and a little self-education. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023 This book, Smiley’s 14th, fulfills two missions: first, as the exhilarating chronicle of a writer’s constant self-education. Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023 The most important thing is to approach the subject of cultural identity and history with openness and curiosity with the intention of self-education. Shanon Maglente, Good Housekeeping, 28 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-education.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-education was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near self-education

Cite this Entry

“Self-education.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-education. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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