— autonomously , adv.
/aw ton"euh meuhs/ , adj.
1. Govt.
a. self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.
b. pertaining to an autonomy.
2. having autonomy; not subject to control from outside; independent: a subsidiary that functioned as an autonomous unit.
3. Biol.
a. existing and functioning as an independent organism.
b. spontaneous.
[ 1790-1800; autónomos with laws of one's own, independent, equiv. to auto- AUTO- 1 + nóm ( os ) law, custom + -os adj. suffix ]