autarchy

[ aw-tahr-kee ]

noun

, plural au·tar·chies.

1. absolute sovereignty.
2. an autocratic government.
3. autarky.

autarchy

¹

/ ˈɔːtɑːkɪ /

noun

1. a variant spelling (now rare) of autarky

autarchy

²

/ ˈɔːtɑːkɪ /

noun

1. unlimited rule; autocracy
2. self-government; self-rule

Derived Forms

• auˈtarchic, adjective

Other Words From

• au·tarchic au·tarchi·cal adjective
• au·tarchi·cal·ly adverb
• autar·chist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of autarchy¹

First recorded in 1655–65, autarchy is from the Greek word autarchía self-rule. See aut-, -archy

Word History and Origins

Origin of autarchy¹

C17: from Greek autarkhia, from autarkhos autocratic; see auto- , -archy

Example Sentences

The tangled global webs of interdependence between hardware and software, China and the west, show very clearly how vulnerable both sides are to the other and how impossible it is for either to achieve technological autarchy, even if that were desirable.

From The Guardian

“We are opening up gradually but are still the most closed economy in Latin America. Argentina tried to follow a model of autarchy. Isolation was the goal of the government. We are just starting to join globalisation.”

From The Guardian

The end of the Cold War was in many respects a victory for open trade versus autarchy.

From Forbes

Countries engaged in trade prospered; countries practicing autarchy floundered.

From Forbes

Such global economic realities mean America could not achieve autarchy, even if it were in its interest to do so.

From US News