'autarchic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'autarkēs', where 'autos' meant 'self' and 'arkein' meant 'to be sufficient'.

'autarkēs' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin and then into English via Modern Latin/French forms (for example Latinized 'autarchicus'), eventually yielding the English adjective 'autarchic'.

Initially it meant 'self-sufficient' in the literal Greek sense, and over time it has retained that core meaning of economic or political self-sufficiency.