autarchy

[ aw-tahr-kee ]

See synonyms for: autarchy autarchical autarchic on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural au·tar·chies.

absolute sovereignty.
an autocratic government.

autarky.

Origin of autarchy

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

Other words from autarchy

au·tar·chic, au·tar·chi·cal, adjective
au·tar·chi·cal·ly, adverb
au·tar·chist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use autarchy in a sentence

Of the over 240 distinct territories, countries, and protectorates, very few (if any) are truly autarchic entities.
The Civilization of Illiteracy | Mihai Nadin
At a very small scale of existence, such as autarchic existence, the means were very simple, and very few.
The Civilization of Illiteracy | Mihai Nadin
It resulted in a new set of dependencies among communities that had afforded autarchic modes of existence for thousands of years.
The Civilization of Illiteracy | Mihai Nadin

British Dictionary definitions for autarchy (1 of 2)

autarchy¹

/ (ˈɔːtɑːkɪ) /

nounplural -chies

unlimited rule; autocracy
self-government; self-rule

Origin of autarchy

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

Derived forms of autarchy

autarchic or autarchical, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for autarchy (2 of 2)

autarchy²

/ (ˈɔːtɑːkɪ) /

nounplural -chies

a variant spelling (now rare) of autarky

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse