autonomous

autonomous (ɔːˈtɒnəməs)

—*adj*
1.	(of a community, country, etc) possessing a large degree of self-government
2.	of or relating to an autonomous community
3.	independent of others
4.	philosophy
	a. acting or able to act in accordance with rules and principles of one's own choosing
	b. Compare heteronomous See also categorical imperative (in the moral philosophy of Kant, of an individual's will) directed to duty rather than to some other end
5.	biology existing as an organism independent of other organisms or parts
6.	a variant spelling of autonomic

[C19: from Greek autonomos living under one's own laws, from auto- + nomos law]

au'tonomously

—*adv*

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

autonomous

1800, from Gk. autonomos "having one's own laws," from autos "self" (see auto-) + nomos "law" (see numismatics). Cf. privilege. Used mostly in metaphysics and politics; see autonomic.

Example sentences

On these technologies autonomous decision making and independent action by

robotic spacecraft relies.

It is an autonomous region.

The lack of communication between autonomous groups within the movement had

been a constant problem.

It isn't surprising given the highly autonomous statuses of the two regions.

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Abkhazia autonomy Bashkir Autonomous Republic Buriat Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic Buryat Autonomous Republic Cherkess Autonomous Region

Matching Quote

"In the Native American tradition ... a man, if he's a mature adult, nurtures life. He does rituals that will help things grow, he helps raise the kids, and he protects the people. His entire life is toward balance and cooperativeness. The ideal of manhood is the same as the ideal of womanhood. You are autonomous, self-directing, and responsible for the spiritual, social and material life of all those with whom you live."

-Paula Gunn Allen