adjective
autonomous
aw-TAH-nuh-muhs/ɔːˈtɑːnəməs/
Operating without external direction or conscious control.
The autonomous mower navigates the lawn without an operator.
Etymology
“One’s own” and “law” give the original idea of living under one’s own laws. This makes independence a matter of self-government, extending naturally to the ability to operate without outside direction.
In context
autonomous weapon systems the systems are designed to operate independently without human intervention and are capable of making decisions and taking actions on their own
More examples
- The region has an autonomous government with control over local affairs.
- The experiment examines an autonomous bodily response that requires no conscious effort.
- Each research group remains autonomous in choosing its methods.
Forms
autonomy noun — Freedom and ability to govern oneself.
Similar words
- independent
- Emphasizes freedom from outside support or control more generally.
- self-governing
- Specifically emphasizes making and administering one's own rules.