autonomy
Americannoun
plural
autonomies-
independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions.
the autonomy of the individual.
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the condition of being autonomous; self-government or the right of self-government.
The rebels demanded autonomy from Spain.
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a self-governing community.
noun
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the right or state of self-government, esp when limited
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a state, community, or individual possessing autonomy
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freedom to determine one's own actions, behaviour, etc
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philosophy
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the doctrine that the individual human will is or ought to be governed only by its own principles and laws See also categorical imperative
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the state in which one's actions are autonomous
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Other Word Forms
- autonomist noun
Etymology
Origin of autonomy
First recorded in 1615–25; from Greek autonomía “independence,” equivalent to autónom(os) autonomous + -ia -y 3
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.
“Most of the money and most of the neo-primes are actually software first,” Thornton said, adding that automation, autonomy and advanced software is needed to match the sheer scale of Chinese manufacturing.
From Barron's
She said a Year 8 reading assessment would increase pressure on pupils at a point in their education when confidence matters most, and that it would narrow the curriculum and erode teacher autonomy.
From BBC
Cognitive autonomy—the capacity to think for yourself, to hold ideas in your head, to reason without scaffolding—isn’t only personally valuable.
They build a plan together that respects both the parents’ autonomy and security and acknowledges the financial reality facing the next generation.
From MarketWatch
Schwab is not the only firm now offering children as young as 13 greater autonomy over their investments — a change that they believe can give kids a better head start in building good habits.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
