: characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources

— fru·gal·i·ty noun

— fru·gal·ly adverb

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin frugalis virtuous, frugal, from frug-, frux fruit, value; akin to Latin frui to enjoy

1

: the act or process of governing; specifically : authoritative direction or control

2

obsolete : moral conduct or behavior : discretion

3

a : the office, authority, or function of governing

b obsolete : the term during which a governing official holds office

4

: the continuous exercise of authority over and the performance of functions for a political unit : rule

5

a : the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it

b : the complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out

6

: the body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization: as

a : the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency

b capitalized : the executive branch of the United States federal government

c capitalized : a small group of persons holding simultaneously the principal political executive offices of a nation or other political unit and being responsible for the direction and supervision of public affairs: (1) : such a group in a parliamentary system constituted by the cabinet or by the ministry (2) : administration 4b

7

: political science

— gov·ern·men·tal adjective

— gov·ern·men·tal·ize transitive verb

— gov·ern·men·tal·ly adverb

14th century