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Glite Dictionary
nonautonomous

nonautonomous

8.8
A place or group that cannot govern itself because outside people control it
  • adjective
  • /ˌnɒnɔːˈtɒnəməs/
translation icon : no autónomo
  • This region is nonautonomous.

Examples

  • Some territories are nonautonomous and rely heavily on external administration.

  • The region remained nonautonomous under colonial rule for decades.

  • Minority groups feared a nonautonomous status within the proposed federation.

  • Don't say they are nonautonomous!

  • Many nonautonomous regions rely on the central government for key decisions.

  • Nonautonomous communities often struggle to express their own needs and desires.

  • The treaty aimed to assist nonautonomous nations in achieving self-governance.

Synonyms

nonsovereign
vsnonautonomous
8.9

Not fully independent and under control of another country

focuses on outside control that prevents actual power to govern
heteronomous
vsnonautonomous
  • Formal
9.9

Being controlled by rules or leaders from outside instead of making decisions on their own

applies more broadly to control by outside forces not just legal rule
nonindependent
vsnonautonomous
6.3

Not able to act or exist without help from others

refers specifically to external control over governing power rather than general dependence
unliberated
vsnonautonomous
7.1

A place that an enemy still controls

focuses on lack of self governing authority rather than personal or social oppression

Antonyms

autonomous
51 6.3

Free to make its own decisions without outside control

How Autonomous

autonomous
51 6.3
nonautonomous
8.8
dependent
182 2.8

Surface Forms

nonautonomous positive

Morphology

nonautonomous = autonomous (transparent) = non + autonomous

The negative prefix 'non-' is productively applied to the adjective 'autonomous' to mean 'not autonomous', a directly derivable meaning for learners.

Etymology

The word nonautonomous is made of non- 'not' and autonomous, whose auto- part means 'self', as in automatic, and whose last part means 'rule', as in autonomy. So, nonautonomous describes people or places that are 'not self-ruling' and are controlled by others.