autarchy, autarky

autarchy, autarky
   The first means absolute power, an autocracy; the second denotes self-sufficiency. Some style books-The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors and The Economist Pocket Style Book, for instance-are at pains to point out the distinction, and it is worth noting that the two words do spring from different Greek roots. But the same books usually fail to observe that neither word is comfortably understood by most general readers, and that in almost every instance their English synonyms would bring an improvement in comprehension, if not in elegance.

Dictionary of troublesome word. . 2013.

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  • autarchy — autarky, autonomy, independence, freedom, sovereignty (see under FREE adj) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Autarchy — Au tar*chy, n. [Gr. ? independence; a yto s self + arkei^n to be sufficient.] 1. Self sufficiency, especially economic self sufficiency as applied to nations. [Obs.] Milton. [1913 Webster +PJC] 2. same as {autarky}. Syn: autarky. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • autarky — (n.) 1610s, self sufficiency, from Gk. autarkeia sufficiency in oneself, independence, from autarkes self sufficient, having enough, independent of others (also used of countries), from autos self (see AUTO (Cf. auto )) + arkein to ward off, keep …   Etymology dictionary

  • autarky — UK [ˈɔːtə(r)kɪ] / US [ˈɔtərkɪ] or autarchy UK / US noun 1) [uncountable] a form of government in which one person has complete power 2) [uncountable] the state of economic independence from other countries or areas 3) [countable] a country that… …   English dictionary

  • autarchy — autarky UK [ˈɔːtə(r)kɪ] / US [ˈɔtərkɪ] or autarchy UK / US noun 1) [uncountable] a form of government in which one person has complete power 2) [uncountable] the state of economic independence from other countries or areas 3) [countable] a… …   English dictionary

  • autarky — n. economic independence as a national policy. Syn: autarchy. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • autarchy — [ô′tär΄kē] n. pl. autarchies [Gr autarchia < autarchos, autocrat, absolute ruler < autos, self + archos: see ARCH ] 1. absolute rule or sovereignty; autocracy 2. a country under such rule 3. AUTARKY autarchic adj. autarchical …   English World dictionary

  • autarky — autarchy, autonomy, independence, freedom, sovereignty (see under FREE adj) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • autarky — (also autarchy) ► NOUN 1) economic independence or self sufficiency. 2) an economically independent state or society. DERIVATIVES autarkic adjective. ORIGIN from Greek autark s self sufficiency …   English terms dictionary

  • autarchy —  , autarky  The first means absolute power, an autocracy; the second denotes self sufficiency. However, neither word is well known, and in almost every instance an English synonym would bring an improvement in comprehension, if not in elegance …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

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