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
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.
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 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on heteronomy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!