autochthon

[ aw-tok-thuhn ]

noun,plural au·toch·thons, au·toch·tho·nes [aw-tok-thuh-neez]. /ɔˈtɒk θəˌniz/.
  1. an aboriginal inhabitant.

  2. Ecology. one of the indigenous animals or plants of a region.

  1. Geology. a geological formation formed in the region where found.

Origin of autochthon

1
First recorded in 1640–50; from Greek autóchthōn “of the land itself,” equivalent to auto- auto-1 + chthṓn “the earth, land, ground”

Words Nearby autochthon

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British Dictionary definitions for autochthon

autochthon

/ (ɔːˈtɒkθən, -θɒn) /


nounplural -thons or -thones (-θəˌniːz)
  1. (often plural) one of the earliest known inhabitants of any country; aboriginal

  2. an animal or plant that is native to a particular region

Origin of autochthon

1
C17: from Greek autokhthōn from the earth itself, from auto- + khthōn the earth

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