autarchy

/ˈɔːtəki/

//ˈɔːtəki// noun

"autarchy" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“autarchy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A condition of absolute power.

Corpus desk

Index EN-autarchy · autarchy · English

autarchy · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for autarchy
PropertyValue
Headwordautarchy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɔːtəki/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “autarchy” in English

autarchysits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

autarchy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɔːtəki/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for autarchy, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin autarchia, from Koine Greek αὐταρχία (autarkhía, “absolute power, sovereignty, autocracy”), from αὔταρχος (aútarkhos, “autocratic”), from αὐτ- (aut-, “self”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule, govern”). The correct English form is autarchy, spelled A-U-T-A-R-C-H-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A condition of absolute power.
  2. 2
    Autocracy (absolute rule by a single person).
  3. 3
    Sovereignty or self-government (national political independence).

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how autarchy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Like Philip's, Franco's autarchy was shrouded in religiosity—not Christianity alone, but also a sort of dim Wagnerian vision of hero-gods and Valhallas, a gloomy level of devotion on which paganism, Catholicism and the apotheosis of the State could conveniently be mingled.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin autarchia, from Koine Greek αὐταρχία (autarkhía, “absolute power, sovereignty, autocracy”), from αὔταρχος (aútarkhos, “autocratic”), from αὐτ- (aut-, “self”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule, govern”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "autarchy"?
"autarchy" is spelled A-U-T-A-R-C-H-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɔːtəki/.
What does "autarchy" mean?
As a noun, "autarchy" means: A condition of absolute power.
How do you pronounce "autarchy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "autarchy" is /ˈɔːtəki/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "autarchy"?
From Medieval Latin autarchia, from Koine Greek αὐταρχία (autarkhía, “absolute power, sovereignty, autocracy”), from αὔταρχος (aútarkhos, “autocratic”), from αὐτ- (aut-, “self”) + ἄρχω (árkhō, “to rule, govern”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list