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n. Philosophy The state or quality of existing in and of oneself, without external cause. [Medieval Latin āsēitās : Latin ā, by, from, of + Latin sē, himself, herself, itself (in the Scholastic descriptive phrase used of God, (ēns) ā sē, (something existing) from itself, of itself; see s(w)e- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Latin -itās, -ity; see -ITY.] |
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