autologist
|au-tol-o-gist|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːˈtɑːlədʒɪst/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːˈtɒlədʒɪst/
one who studies or describes the self
Etymology
'autologist' originates from Greek elements: 'autós' meaning 'self' and 'lógos' meaning 'word, speech, study'.
'autologist' developed via Modern/Neo-Latin formations (e.g. 'autologia'/'autologus') based on Greek roots and entered English as a technical/learned formation for those concerned with 'autology' (self-study or self-reference).
Initially formed around the idea of 'self-speech' or 'self-describing' (words or discourse referring to the self); over time it has been used both for specialists who study self-reference and, more loosely, for people who write about or analyse their own lives.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who studies or specialises in autology — the study or theory of the self or of self-reference (including words or expressions that describe themselves).
As an autologist, she catalogued self-referential words and analysed how speakers use them in discourse.
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Noun 2
a (rare) term for someone who writes about or studies their own life — an autobiographer or a self-analyst.
The autologist published a series of memoirs that focused on inner reflection rather than public events.
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Last updated: 2025/11/26 16:12