Meaning

adjective (of political bodies) not controlled by outside forces

adjective existing as an independent entity

adjective (of persons) free from external control and constraint in e.g. action and judgment

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewder.? Proto-Indo-European *sóder.? Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón)? Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-) Proto-Indo-European *nem-der. Proto-Indo-European *németi Proto-Hellenic *némō Ancient Greek νέμω (némō) Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Hellenic *-os Ancient Greek -ος (-os) Ancient Greek…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0