self-taught
/ˌself ˈtɔːt/
Very CommonHaving learned a skill or subject without formal schooling or an instructor.
Often said with pride in tech and creative communities. Can signal resourcefulness or, in some contexts, lack of formal credentials. The connotation depends heavily on who is saying it and why.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Self-taught dev, 3 years in. Just got my first 6-figure offer. | The person broke into a well-paying tech job without a CS degree. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | I've been self-taught my whole life. Never paid for a class. | The person takes pride in having always learned informally. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | Self-taught guitarist here. Been playing for 8 years and never took a single lesson. | The person learned an instrument entirely through their own practice. | reddit, 2022 |
| 04 | Being self-taught hits different. Nobody held my hand. | Learning without formal guidance felt harder but also more satisfying. | tiktok, 2023 |
Use it when
- Someone learned to code, design, or play an instrument without school.
- Someone is distinguishing their background from people with formal degrees.
- Someone is presenting their informal learning as a credential or point of pride.
Do not use it when
- You mean someone took an online course that had structured lessons and a certificate.
- You mean someone is just a beginner at something.
Self-taught vs bootcamp grad
self-taught
Self-taught means no structured program at all. Entirely on your own.
VS
bootcamp-grad
A bootcamp grad went through a short structured program with instructors and a curriculum.
Origin and context
Standard English term with roots going back centuries. Gained specific cultural weight in tech and creative communities during the 2010s as self-directed learning online became viable.
- First seen
- pre-2000s
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/self-taughtUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0