heteronomy

noun

het·​er·​on·​o·​my ˌhe-tə-ˈrä-nə-mē How to pronounce heteronomy (audio)
: subjection to something else
especially : a lack of moral freedom or self-determination

Examples of heteronomy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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For this reason, the passage from Arab spring to Arab winter should be understood first and foremost as a narrative of self-determination, choice, and consequences, not as a story of heteronomy and external imposition. New York Times, 12 May 2020

Word History

Etymology

heter- + -nomy (as in autonomy)

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heteronomy was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near heteronomy

Cite this Entry

“Heteronomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heteronomy. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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