autonomy

[In Fr. autonomie; Port. auto no mia; Gr. αὐτονομία ( auto no mia ), from αὐτόνομος ( auto nomos ) = living by one's own laws: αὐτός ( autos ) = self, and νόμος ( nomos ) = custom, law; νέμω (nemō) = to distribute.] 1. Ord. Lang. The right, and that not lying dormant, but acted on, of self-government. Independence; the state of being, within cer tain limits, a law to one's self. (Used of nations or of individuals.) "It is rumoured that the autonomy of Bulgaria will form part of her demands," Times , Nov. 16, 1877, 2. Mental Phil . In the Philosophy of Kant: A term employed to designate the absolute sovereignty of reason in the sphere of morals.