self-contained

[self-kuhn-teynd, self-]

adjective

1. containing in oneself or itself all that is necessary; independent.

2. reserved or uncommunicative.

3. self-controlled or self-possessed.

4. (of a machine or mechanism) complete in itself.

self-contained

adjective

1. containing within itself all parts necessary for completeness

2. (of a flat) having its own kitchen, bathroom, and lavatory not shared by others and usually having its own entrance

3. able or tending to keep one's feelings, thoughts, etc, to oneself; reserved

4. able to control one's feelings or emotions in the presence of others

Other Word Forms

• self-containedly adverb
• self-containedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of self-contained¹

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

These cells are deliberately small – often under a dozen members – and self-contained, which gives them greater operational security and flexibility.

From Salon

Their story unfolds over time across both everyday happenings and milestones, with each self-contained episode jumping between moments that reverberate from anywhere in the 1950s to 2020s.

From Los Angeles Times

You headline the self-contained episode, likely playing the baddie on a show that delights in an exaggerated tone.

From Los Angeles Times

Enclosed by walls topped with barbed wire, the workers' area of the compound was its own self-contained world, featuring a basketball court, supermarket and restaurants.

From BBC

The trust told File on 4 Investigates that anyone assessed as needing long-term segregation had a self-contained property with their own bedroom, bathroom, living room and garden.

From BBC

Related Words

• autonomous 
• self-governing www.thesaurus.com
• self-sufficient 
• self-supporting