au·ton·o·mous 
(ô-tŏnə-məs)
(ô-tŏnə-məs)adj.
1. Not controlled by others or by outside forces; independent: an autonomous judiciary; an autonomous division of a corporate conglomerate.
2. Independent in mind or judgment; self-directed.
3.
a. Independent of the laws of another state or government; self-governing.
b. Of or relating to a self-governing entity: an autonomous legislature.
c. Self-governing with respect to local or internal affairs: an autonomous region of a country.
4. Autonomic.
[From Greek autonomos : auto-, auto- + nomos, law; see nem- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
au·tono·mous·ly adv.