repr. Gr. ????- ‘self, one’s own, by oneself, independent-ly,’ combining form of ????? self. Exceedingly common in Gr.; in L. only in a few words adopted from Gr. without analysis, as autochthones, autographus, automatus; more common in med.L.; and largely used in the mod. langs. In Eng., to a certain extent, a living element, prefixable to scientific terms denoting action or operation, whence occasionally to others, in combinations that are more or less nonce-words. In free composition as a prefix element, its chief meanings are: (a) of oneself, one’s own; self-; (b) self-produced or -induced (pathologically) within the body or organism; (c) spontaneous, self-acting, automatic.