Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
The right or condition of self-government; freedom to act or function independently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: dependency, heteronomy, servitude, nonautonomy, inoperability
noun
A self-governing country or region.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Topics: government
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The capacity of a system to make a decision about its actions without the involvement of another system or operator.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: engineering, mechanical-engineering, mechanics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: heteronomy, incapacity
noun
The status of a church whose highest-ranking bishop is appointed by the patriarch of the mother church, but which is self-governing in all other respects. Compare autocephaly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: Christianity
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: liberty
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: independence, independency
Narrower terms: self-government, self-determination, self-rule
noun
personal independence
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: self-direction, self-reliance, self-sufficiency
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: independence, independency
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder.? Proto-Indo-European *sóder.? Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón)? Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-) Proto-Indo-European *nem-der. Proto-Indo-European *németi Proto-Hellenic *némō Ancient Greek νέμω (némō) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek νόμος (nómos) ▲ Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek αὐτόνομος (autónomos) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh2 Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek αὐτονομῐ́ᾱ (autonomĭ́ā)bor. English autonomy Borrowed from Ancient Greek αὐτονομῐ́ᾱ (autonomĭ́ā, “freedom to use its own laws, independence”), from αὐτόνομος (autónomos, “living under one's own laws, independent”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, “-y, -ia”, nominal suffix). By surface analysis, auto- (“self”) + -nomy (“a system of rules or laws about a particular field”).
Across languages
121 source translations are retained for this English entry.
