Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Popular Searches
Nearby Words

autochthon

 - 2 dictionary results

au⋅toch⋅thon

  [aw-tok-thuhn]
Use autochthon in a Sentence
–noun, plural -thons, -tho⋅nes  [-thuh-neez] .
1. an aboriginal inhabitant.
2. Ecology. one of the indigenous animals or plants of a region.
3. Geology. a geological formation formed in the region where found.
Compare allochthon.

Origin:
1640–50; < Gk autóchthōn of the land itself, equiv. to auto- auto- 1 + chthn the earth, land, ground
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To autochthon
au·toch·thon   (ô-tŏk'thən)   
n.   pl. au·toch·thons or au·toch·tho·nes (-thə-nēz')

  1. One of the earliest known inhabitants of a place; an aborigine.

  2. Ecology An indigenous plant or animal.


[Greek autokhthōn : auto-, auto- + khthōn, earth; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see autochthon on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way