Standard Lemma guide

heteronomy

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • rhymes with -ɒnəmi

1

noun

Meaning 1

The political subjection of a community to the rule of another power or to an external law.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The state of being beholden to external influences.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The condition of being heteronomous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From hetero- + -nomy.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: хетероно́мия (heteronómija) — political subjection
  • Bulgarian: чу́жда власт (čúžda vlast) — political subjection
  • Bulgarian: зави́симост (zavísimost) — political subjection
  • Bulgarian: несамостоя́телност (nesamostojátelnost) — political subjection
  • Japanese: 他治 (tachi) — political subjection
  • Japanese: 他律 (taritsu) — being beholden to external influences
  • Persian: دگرمختاری (degarmoxtâri) — being beholden to external influences
  • Bulgarian: хетероно́мия (heteronómija) — biology