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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
He added: "What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them."
From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026
At a charter school, we have quite a bit of autonomy with what we teach.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
The individual regions, or Lander, he adds, "were given a high degree of autonomy."
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
Waller has been pressing the regional banks to cede more operational autonomy, while the banks have pushed back against his plan to centralize back-office functions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
Only further threats, notably Shays’s Rebellion of 1786 and the unsolved burden of war debt, overcame the ex-colonies’ extreme reluctance to sacrifice autonomy and pushed them into adopting our current strong federal constitution in 1787.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
