autodidact

American  

[aw-toh-dahy-dakt, -dahy-dakt] / ˌɔ toʊˈdaɪ dækt, -daɪˈdækt /

noun

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

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autodidact British  

/ ˈɔːtəʊˌdaɪdækt /

noun

1. a person who is self-taught

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Other Word Forms

• autodidactic adjective

Etymology

Origin of autodidact

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

Example Sentences

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.

From 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.

From 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.

From BBC

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

From New York Times

Wonder is also an autodidact, and Joe is sure “Harvard is playing matchmaker.”

From Washington Post