autarchy

[aw-tahr-kee]

noun

plural

autarchies 

1. absolute sovereignty.

2. an autocratic government.

3. autarky.

autarchy

¹

/ ˈɔːtɑːkɪ /

noun

1. unlimited rule; autocracy

2. self-government; self-rule

autarchy

²

/ ˈɔːtɑːkɪ /

noun

1. a variant spelling (now rare) of autarky

Other Word Forms

• autarchic adjective
• autarchical adjective
• autarchically adverb
• autarchist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of autarchy¹

First recorded in 1655–65, autarchy is from the Greek word autarchía self-rule. See aut-, -archy

Word History and Origins

Origin of autarchy¹

C17: from Greek autarkhia, from autarkhos autocratic; see _auto- , _-archy

Example Sentences

The end of the Cold War was in many respects a victory for open trade versus autarchy.

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Such global economic realities mean America could not achieve autarchy, even if it were in its interest to do so.

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The Fascist states of the present time exhibit a definite drift from free trade to autarchy.

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Wen Yunchao, a Guangzhou-based blogger, on Twitter called the speech "a declaration of war from a free nation to an autarchy," and compared it to Winston Churchill's anti-Soviet speech decrying the Iron Curtain.

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Owing to the almost perfect autarchy existing there, grave economic problems never really arise.

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