Autonomous
/ɔːˈtɒnəməs/
adjectiveIntermediate📊CommonGovernance
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
Having the right or power of self-government; independent.
/ɔːˈtɒnəməs/
adjectiveneutralIntermediate
Governance
Having self-government, independent
The university is largely autonomous in its academic affairs.
💡 Simply: Able to govern itself.
More Examples
2
Self-driving cars are an example of autonomous technology.
How It's Used
Politics
"The region declared itself an autonomous republic."
Technology
"The car uses an autonomous driving system."
From late Middle English: via Old French from late Latin autonomus, from Greek autonomos ‘having one's own laws’, from autos ‘self’ + nomos ‘law’.
The word has gained prominence with the rise of technology and self-governing systems.
Memory tip
Think 'auto' (self) and 'nomos' (law) - self-governing by its own laws.
Word Origin
LanguageGreek
Original meaning
"self-law"
Base: autonomy
autonomous regionautonomous vehicleautonomous system
Common misspellings
autonomusauthonomousautomonous
Practice
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written