auto-, aut-
(Greek: self, same, spontaneous; directed from within)
The way a regime is ruled by a despot with absolute authority, despotism: Autocratism is the manner in which a government is ruled by only one person who has unlimited power.
autocratrix
A female autocrat; the title of an empress of Russia ruling in her own right.
autocrine
A substance secreted by a cell and acting on surface receptors of the same cell.
autocritical
Critical of oneself or one's own work.
autocue
A device showing a speaker the text of what he/she has arranged to say.
autocytoplasty
A plastic operation on the bladder employing tissue grafts taken from another site on the same patient's body.
autodeme
In biology, a deme (a local interbreeding group) composed primarily of self-fertilizing individuals.
autodermic
A reference to one's own skin; used especially in reference to autografts.
autodiagnosis, autodiagnostic
A diagnosis of one's own disease.
autodial, autodialer
A telephone device that makes possible a service feature whereby a call is automatically made in response to a brief input signal from the user; such as, the pressing of a button.
A self-taught person or those who have taught themselves without formal instructions: Some autodidacts spend a great deal of time in libraries, on educational websites, or seeking information from those who are specialists in the fields of their interests.
Many autodidacts, depending on their plan for learning, seek instruction and guidance from experts, friends, teachers, parents, siblings, and from other sources within their communities.
autodidactic (adjective), more autodidactic, most autodidactic
Relating to or characteristic of being self-taught: The autodidactic education that Sam acquired during the years he was being homeschooled are considered quite superior.
autodrainage
The opening of an abscess into a hollow viscus or cavity within the patient's own body. This may occur spontaneously by expansion of the abscess and erosion of surrounding structures or it can be accomplished surgically.
autoecholalia
1. The tendency to repeat several times in a meaningless manner the last syllable of a word, the last word of a sentence, or even the last part of a phrase.
2. The repetition of some or all words in one's statements.
3. A morbid repetition of another person's or one's own words.
4. Parrot-like repetition of words and phrases initially uttered by the patient himself/herself; seen in catatonic schizophrenia and in certain cerebral degenerative disorders.
2. The repetition of some or all words in one's statements.
3. A morbid repetition of another person's or one's own words.
4. Parrot-like repetition of words and phrases initially uttered by the patient himself/herself; seen in catatonic schizophrenia and in certain cerebral degenerative disorders.
Purposeless repetition of simple movements: "The patient's autoechopraxias consisted of repetitive hand shakings or waving, body rocking, head banging, putting things in her mouth, biting herself, picking at her skin, and hitting herself several times."
