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autodidactic

autodidactic

1 9.6
Learning things on their own without formal lessons
  • adjective
  • /ˌɔːtədaɪˈdæktɪk/
translation icon : autodidacta
  • This comment may explain why nineteenth-century English novels, from Disraeli's Sybil to Gissing's The Nether World, reserve high praise for lower-class "readers" who hope to improve their social standing through autodidactic study.

Examples

  • They seem to be autodidactic.

    Academic text (1993)
  • To the extent that the Punchman's self-correction smacks of autodidactic pedantry, it duplicates the tone Punch uses to deflect the censure of his own crimes in the play.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Her autodidactic approach to learning guitar allowed her to play complex pieces without formal lessons.

  • Many famous scientists were autodidactic, teaching themselves through books and experiments rather than attending traditional schools.

  • Being autodidactic, he mastered several languages by practicing with online resources and conversation partners.

Synonyms

self-educated
vsautodidactic
4 4.6

A person who learns most things on their own, not at school

describes the characteristic of learning independently rather than the action of learning

How Self-Taught

autodidactic
1 9.6
trained
1.9

Surface Forms

autodidactic positive

Morphology

autodidactic = autodidact (transparent) = autodidact + ic

Standard adjective formation from the noun 'autodidact' using '-ic'; the meaning 'relating to a self-taught person' is directly derived.

Etymology

Autodidactic comes from the parts auto- 'self' and didactic 'teaching', so it literally means 'self-teaching'. That's why an autodidactic person learns on their own, without formal lessons.