1. having your own business, rather than being employed by a company:
• Over a quarter of agency-supplied computer staff are self-employed.
• Many self-employed businessmen are dependent on loans for working capital.
2. the self-employed people who work for themselves, rather than being employed by a company:
• One of the services we offer to the self-employed is a series of free consultations with financial and legal experts.
— compare freelance1 — self-employment noun [uncountable] :
• The rise in self-employment is likely to increase the flexibility of earnings.
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self-employment UK US /ˌselfɪmˈplɔɪmənt/ noun [U] WORKPLACE
► the fact of having your own business or finding work for yourself, rather than working for an employer: »
More people are choosing self-employment after redundancy.
»The figures show a huge rise in self-employment.
Financial and business terms. 2012.