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autodidact

[aw-toh-dahy-dakt, -dahy-dakt]

noun

  1. a person who has learned a subject without the benefit of a teacher or formal education; a self-taught person.



autodidact

/ ˈɔːtəʊˌdaɪdækt /

noun

  1. a person who is self-taught

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • autodidactic adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of autodidact1

First recorded in 1525–35; from Greek autodídaktos “self-taught”; auto- 1, didactic
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Word History and Origins

Origin of autodidact1

C16: from Greek autodidaktos self-taught, from autos self + didaskein to teach
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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 was mid-century America’s foremost tough-hooligan intellectual, a high school dropout and autodidact who wrote and published four books while waiting to die.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Precocious as a child and an autodidact, the U.S.-born música Mexicana star taught himself to play guitar at age 8 by watching YouTube tutorials.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Often from humble backgrounds, or autodidacts, or both, the sliver of young humanity who take part in our quiz will instantly fill you with hope for the future.

Read more on BBC

The autodidact Jude is not above a dirty joke.

Read more on New York Times

An autodidact who left college after a year, he nonetheless became a full professor of computer science at M.I.T. at 34.

Read more on New York Times

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