autodidacticism

American  

[aw-toh-dahy-dak-tuh-siz-uhm] / ˌɔ toʊ daɪˈdæk təˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. the process or practice of learning a subject without a teacher or formal education; self-education.

   Abraham Lincoln is viewed as a model of autodidacticism.

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Etymology

Origin of autodidacticism

autodidactic + -ism

Example Sentences

Autodidacticism was a cornerstone of the association’s ethos, a way to expand on members’ formal training.

From New York Times

Mr. Haring was, for example, impressively determined and resourceful, funding his art and his autodidacticism with a series of menial jobs.

From New York Times

The spirit of the catalogue—its irreverence toward institutions, its emphasis on autodidacticism, and its sunny view of computers as tools for personal liberation––appeals to a younger generation of technologists.

From The New Yorker

Unlike the millennial billionaires who condescend to non-technical pursuits, Allen attributed his entrepreneurial ambition and imagination to a wide-ranging autodidacticism and a natural passion for art and literature.

From The New Yorker

At the moment, in this country, after the age of 24 you are effectively abandoned to autodidacticism – there is no such thing as free education for adults.

From The Guardian