adj
autochthonous
Autochthonous (adj) means belonging naturally to the place where it is found.
adj
1
Belonging naturally to the place where it is found.
"Only human beings could live on this world and know that they were not autochthonous but had stemmed from Earthmen—and yet did the Spacers really know it or did they simply put it out of their mind?"
— Isaac Asimov (1983)
"It analyzes exceptionalism in terms of institutional authority, adjudicative method, and substantive doctrine, and it shows how exceptionalism derives from the idea of autochthonous Native sovereignty."
— Michael Doran, EXCEPTIONALISM AND ASSIMILATIONISM IN FEDERAL INDIAN LAW (2024)
2
Having come into being in the very place where it is now found.
3
Describes a fossil that stayed exactly where the creature died, without being moved or broken apart afterwards.
"Death and burial may be simultaneous, resulting in a preserved snapshot of an autochthonous assemblage that may be compared directly with present day ecosystems."
— Anna K. Behrensmeyer et al, Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time (1992)
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Etymology
Literally “native to the soil”, formed from autochthon and -ous.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
allochthonous
Related words
Rhymes for autochthonous
See all rhymes for autochthonous →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of autochthonous?
"autochthonous" (adj) means belonging naturally to the place where it is found.
What is another word for autochthonous?
Other words for "autochthonous" include autochthonic, endemic, autochthonal, indigenous.
What is the opposite of autochthonous?
The opposite of "autochthonous" is allochthonous.
What are the different meanings of autochthonous?
"autochthonous" has 3 main meanings: 1. Belonging naturally to the place where it is found; 2. Having come into being in the very place where it is now found; 3. Describes a fossil that stayed exactly where the creature died, without being moved or broken apart afterwards.
