autonomous

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɔˈtɑnəməs/ UK /ɔːˈtɒnəməs/ See IPA manual

Freq #26405

Meanings

1

adj
Able to govern itself or make its own decisions, without control from others.

After years of conflict, the region was finally granted autonomous status.
2

adj
Acting or operating independently, free from outside control.

Autonomous vehicles can drive themselves without a human at the wheel.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · able to govern itself or... self-governingsovereign independent

2 adj · acting or operating... self-directedself-reliant

Opposites

heteronomous

Word family

Derived forms autonomouslyautonomousnessautonowashingnonautonomoussemiautonomoussuperautonomous

Related forms autonomic autonomy

Etymology

From autonomy + -ous.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# autonomous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɔˈtɑnəməs/
**IPA (UK):** /ɔːˈtɒnəməs/
**Frequency rank:** 26405

## Meanings
1. Able to govern itself or make its own decisions, without control from others.
2. Acting or operating independently, free from outside control.

## Examples
- After years of conflict, the region was finally granted autonomous status.
- Autonomous vehicles can drive themselves without a human at the wheel.

## Antonyms
- heteronomous

## Derived Forms
- autonomously
- autonomousness
- autonowashing
- nonautonomous
- semiautonomous
- superautonomous

## Related Forms
- autonomic
- autonomy

## Etymology
From autonomy + -ous.

## AI Etymology
Autonomous is formed from autonomy + -ous. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. Current senses include able to govern itself or make its own decisions, without control from others and acting or operating independently, free from outside control. The wider family includes derived forms such as autonomously, autonomousness, autonowashing, nonautonomous, and semiautonomous; related words such as autonomic and autonomy.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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