autodidact

/ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/

//ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"autodidact" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A self-taught person.

Key facts for autodidact
PropertyValue
Headwordautodidact
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “autodidact” sits in English frequency

autodidact falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Rare enough to double-check

autodidact is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A self-taught person.".

autodidact has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ancient Greek αὐτοδίδακτος (autodídaktos), from αὐτός (autós, “self”) + διδάσκω (didáskō, “I teach”). By surface analysis, auto- + didact. The correct English form is autodidact, spelled A-U-T-O-D-I-D-A-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A self-taught person.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek αὐτοδίδακτος (autodídaktos), from αὐτός (autós, “self”) + διδάσκω (didáskō, “I teach”). By surface analysis, auto- + didact.

This word in other languages

autodidacta(Español)autodidacte(Français)Autodidakt(Deutsch)autodidata(Português)

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 "autodidact"?
"autodidact" is spelled A-U-T-O-D-I-D-A-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/.
What does "autodidact" mean?
As a noun, "autodidact" means: A self-taught person.
How do you pronounce "autodidact"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "autodidact" is /ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/. 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 "autodidact"?
From Ancient Greek αὐτοδίδακτος (autodídaktos), from αὐτός (autós, “self”) + διδάσκω (didáskō, “I teach”). By surface analysis, auto- + didact. 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.

Using “autodidact”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-U-T-O-D-I-D-A-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɔːtoʊˈdaɪdækt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list