English Lexicon

Autodidactic

/ˌɔː.təʊ.daɪˈdæk.tɪk/
adjectiveCEFR C2 (Proficient)Top #14500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Self-taught; having acquired knowledge or skills independently without the guidance of formal teachers or institutions.

    "Her autodidactic approach to computer programming allowed her to master multiple coding languages in a matter of months."
  2. 2

    Pertaining to or characteristic of a person who educates themselves.

    "He spent years in the library pursuing an entirely autodidactic education in classical history."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Greek words 'autos' meaning 'self' and 'didaktikos' meaning 'taught' or 'apt for learning'. Entering the English lexicon in the mid-19th century, it expanded from describing self-taught individuals to characterizing processes and learning methods pursued independently without formal instruction.

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