autotomy

noun

au·​tot·​o·​my ȯ-ˈtä-tə-mē How to pronounce autotomy (audio)
: reflex separation of a part (such as an appendage) from the body : division of the body into two or more pieces
autotomous
ȯ-ˈtä-tə-məs How to pronounce autotomy (audio)
adjective
autotomize
ȯ-ˈtä-tə-ˌmīz How to pronounce autotomy (audio)
verb

Examples of autotomy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without the injection, autotomy was seen mostly in animals that had arms that were clamped closest to the autotomy plane. — Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024 Two exclusive features only found in the autotomy plane allow this structure to break. — Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French autotomie, from auto- auto- + -tomie -tomy

Note: The term was introduced by the Belgian physiologist Léon Fredericq (1851-1935) in "Sur l'autotomie ou mutilation par voie réflexe comme moyen de défense chez les animaux," Archives de zoologie expérimentale et générale, deuxième série, tome premier (1883), pp. 413-26.

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of autotomy was in 1887

Rhymes for autotomy

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Cite this Entry

“Autotomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autotomy. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

autotomy

noun
au·​tot·​o·​my ȯ-ˈtät-ə-mē How to pronounce autotomy (audio)
plural autotomies
: reflex separation of a part from the body especially in an invertebrate

More from Merriam-Webster on autotomy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about autotomy

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