“auto-” is a prefix derived from the Greek word “autos,” meaning “self, independent, automatic.” This prefix is commonly used in English to denote “automatic,” especially starting from 1895 to refer to “automobile.” In ancient Greek, it was also a common prefix, much like in modern English, though few old words survived through the intervening period¹²³.
Prefix: auto-
【Root Meaning】: Self
【Root Origin】: Derived from Greek autos (self)
【Cognates】: autobiography, automobile, autonomy
Prefix: auto- Self, Automatic
autocriticsm Self-criticism
autorotation Automatic rotation
autobiography Autobiography
autoalarm Automatic alarm
autosuggestion Autosuggestion
autoinfection Self-infection
anto-timer Automatic timer
autobike Motorized bicycle
Root & Prefix: auto-, aut-
【Origin and Meaning】Greek: self, same, spontaneous; directed from within
【Related Roots & Prefixes】Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving word units dealing with “equal, identical, same, similar”: emul-; equ-, equi-; homeo-; homo-; iso-; pari-; peer; rhomb-; syn-; tauto-.
【Cognates】ambulatory automatism, autacoid, autacoidal, autaesthesy, autagonistophilia, autantonym