self-contained
/ˈsɛlf.kənˌteɪnd/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.39 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
5
Syllables
11
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of a person, wrapped up in oneself; reserved.
verb
Example Sentences
- "a self-contained apartment"
- "The software is self-contained, and doesn't interface with anything except the user."
- "Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus"
- "All these were based broadly on the management framework of the old companies, except that the former Southern and North Eastern Areas of the old L.N.E.R. became separate management units, while the former L.M.S.R. and L.N.E.R. lines north of the Border were fused into a self-contained Scottish Region."
- "Each of these can be further sub-divided into self-contained divisions; the technical research department, for example, includes Engineering and Chemical Divisions."
- "Whereas the history of the London Underground is generally very fiddly, the history of the Waterloo & City is blessedly self-contained and simple."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- Latin contineōder. Latin continērelbor. Old French contenirbor. Middle English conteinen English contain Old English -ed Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Germanic *-ōdaz Old English -od Middle English -ed English -ed English contained English self-contained From self- + contained.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsɛlf.kənˌteɪnd/
- British English: /ˈsɛlf.kənˌteɪnd/
Inflected Forms
more self-contained (comparative)
most self-contained (superlative)