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adj. 1. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: an autonomous judiciary; an autonomous division of a corporate conglomerate. 2. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed. 3. a. Independent of the laws of another state or government; self-governing. b. Of or relating to a self-governing entity: an autonomous legislature. c. Self-governing with respect to local or internal affairs: an autonomous region of a country. 4. Autonomic. [From Greek autonomos : auto-, auto- + nomos, law; see nem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] au·tono·mous·ly adv. |
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