self-driven

American  

[self-driv-uhn, self-] / ˌsɛlfˈdrɪv ən, ˈsɛlf- /

adjective

1. (of a machine) containing its own power source, as an engine or motor.

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Etymology

Origin of self-driven

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

As Aseema Sinha, author of Globalizing India: How Global Rules and Markets are Shaping India's Rise to Power, observed, this period was marked by "a self-driven industrialisation drive, export pessimism, and suspicion of global alliances".

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2025

That search for something bigger, he said, can take on many forms, from following a religion to crafting a self-driven purpose to believing in, of course, angels.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 29, 2023

Mr. Rodriguez described the bot as a useful “co-teacher” that allowed him to devote extra time to children who needed guidance while enabling more self-driven students to plow ahead.

From New York Times • Jun. 26, 2023

I sat on the corner for less than an hour and counted at least 10 self-driven laps.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2023

Fear is contagious—the whole army has fallen into irremediable disorder—has abandoned its commanding position—and in an hour will be self-driven into the sea.

From Recreations of Christopher North, Volume I (of 2) by Wilson, John Lyde