autonomy
Americannoun
-
independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions.
the autonomy of the individual.
-
the condition of being autonomous; self-government or the right of self-government.
The rebels demanded autonomy from Spain.
-
a self-governing community.
noun
-
the right or state of self-government, esp when limited
-
a state, community, or individual possessing autonomy
-
freedom to determine one's own actions, behaviour, etc
-
philosophy
-
the doctrine that the individual human will is or ought to be governed only by its own principles and laws See also categorical imperative
-
the state in which one's actions are autonomous
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of autonomy
First recorded in 1615–25; from Greek autonomía “independence,” equivalent to autónom(os) autonomous + -ia -y 3
Explanation
When a group wants to govern itself or a person wants to make independent decisions, they are looking for autonomy. Autonomy comes from the Greek roots auto meaning "self" and nomos meaning "custom" or "law." This reflects the political sense of the word — a group's right to self-government or self-rule. When a person seeks autonomy, he or she would like to be able to make decisions independently from an authority figure. Can you relate?
Vocabulary lists containing autonomy
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Human Geography - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 22 - 28, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Both want greater ethnic autonomy and feel betrayed by Abiy, though for differing reasons:
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
Abrupt, unwelcome occurrences scar our autonomy and cripple our illusion of independence; the question of what went wrong falls on our shoulders, another loop to languish inside.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
Censorship also crept into news agency MTI, which lost its already limited autonomy in a 2015 reorganisation.
From Barron's • May 30, 2026
As the children of Windisch’s Gen X clients get older and gain more financial autonomy, she’s noticed they tend to have a sense of reluctance or nervousness around managing their money.
From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026
I’m guessing the former, because there is complexity, autonomy, and a relationship between effort and reward in doing creative work, and that’s worth more to most of us than money.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
