autonomous

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adjective au·ton·o·mous \ȯ-ˈtä-nÉ™-mÉ™s\

: existing or acting separately from other things or people

: having the power or right to govern itself

Full Definition of AUTONOMOUS

1

:  of, relating to, or marked by autonomy

2

a :  having the right or power of self-government

b :  undertaken or carried on without outside control :  self-contained <an autonomous school system>

3

a :  existing or capable of existing independently <an autonomous zooid>

b :  responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole <an autonomous growth>

4

:  controlled by the autonomic nervous system

— au·ton·o·mous·ly adverb

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Examples of AUTONOMOUS

1. <Native American nations are regarded as autonomous in many respects and thus not subject to a number of state and local laws.>

Origin of AUTONOMOUS

Greek autonomos independent, from aut- + nomos law — more at nimble

First Known Use: 1799

Related to AUTONOMOUS

Synonyms

free, freestanding, independent, self-governed, self-governing, self-ruling, separate, sovereign (also sovran)

Antonyms

dependent, nonautonomous, non-self-governing, subject, unfree

Related Words

freeborn; delivered, emancipated, freed, liberated, manumitted, redeemed, released; unconquered, unruled, unsupervised; empowered, enfranchised; democratic, republican

Near Antonyms

bound, captive, conquered, enslaved, fettered, subdued, subjugated; inferior, subordinate, subservient

See Synonym Discussion at free

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

Rhymes with AUTONOMOUS

anonymous, antonymous, eponymous, homonymous, paronymous, pseudonymous, synonymous, theonomous

autonomous

adjective au·ton·o·mous \ȯ-ˈtän-É™-mÉ™s\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of AUTONOMOUS

1

:  of, relating to, or marked by autonomy

2

a :  not forming a part (as does an embryo or seed) in the developmental sequence of an organism b :  responding, reacting, or developing independently of the whole <a tumor is an autonomous growth>

3

:  under control of the autonomic nervous system

—au·ton·o·mous·ly adverb