From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishself-madeˌself-ˈmade adjective ALONEa self-made man or woman has become successful and rich by their own efforts, not by having money given to themself-made man/millionaire/businessman
Examples from the Corpus
self-made• The rich were not a hereditary class, for most wealthy men were self-made.• Davies was a rugged, frugal, self-made capitalist, a relentless business competitor, who remained close to his chapel roots.• How a self-made man should always say he was born in something like a log cabin, preferably with no running water.• This could be the start of a self-made man.• How all self-made men found what they needed to know in bookstores.• a self-made millionaire• C.J. Walker became one of black America's first self-made millionaires.self-made man/millionaire/businessman• This could be the start of a self-made man.• And several more to note any similarity in pattern between the Yorkshire self-made businessman and myself.• How all self-made men found what they needed to know in bookstores.• How a self-made man should always say he was born in something like a log cabin, preferably with no running water.• Not quite the supremacy of the self-made man that the party liked to pretend, but a distinct shift none the less.• The key virtue was self-reliance; the admirable man was the self-made man; the goal was to be your own boss.From Longman Business Dictionaryself-madeˌself-ˈmade adjective self-made man/woman/millionaire etc someone who has become very successful and rich in business through their own hard work, without any advantages such as a high social position 