Meanings
comparative more self-sufficient · superlative most self-sufficient
- Able to provide for oneself independently of others; not needing external support.First known use 16th c.
Over the next few decades, several million humans immigrated to Eden Prime and a primarily agrarian culture developed. The new colony quickly became not only self-sufficient, but began exporting goods.
2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3: From Ashes (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, PC, scene: Planets and Locations: Eden Prime Codex entry - obsoleteOverconfident in one's own abilities; arrogant.First known use 17th–20th c.
In spite of these conscientious reflections, he was too self-sufficient to think he should find any difficulty in obtaining forgiveness for these sins of omission […].
1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC1 more example
To rescue London from this short-termism, Byford has put forward a deal that would fill the current gap of £500m annually, explaining: "If we can fill that gap, we can get back to being self-sufficient by 2023."
2021 October 6, Christian Wolmar, “Both sides must work together to get London back on track”, in RAIL, number 941, page 35
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveable to provide for your own needs without help from others
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekαὐτάρκης
- Englishself-sufficient
From self- + sufficient, a calque of Ancient Greek αὐτάρκης (autárkēs).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek αὐτάρκης
- αὐτάρκης (autárkēs)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Arabic مُكْتَفٍ ذَاتِيًّا
- مُكْتَفٍ ذَاتِيًّا (muktafin ḏātiyyan)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Bulgarian самодоста́тъчен, самостоя́телен
- самодоста́тъчен (samodostátăčen)able to provide for oneself independently of others
- самостоя́телен (samostojátelen)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Catalan autosuficient
- autosuficientable to provide for oneself independently of others
Chinese Mandarin 自給自足的 /自给自足的
- 自給自足的 /自给自足的 (zìjǐzìzúdē dė)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Czech soběstačný
- soběstačnýable to provide for oneself independently of others
Danish selvforsynende
- selvforsynendeable to provide for oneself independently of others
Dutch zelfvoorzienend
- zelfvoorzienendable to provide for oneself independently of others
Finnish omavarainen
- omavarainenable to provide for oneself independently of others
French autosuffisant
- autosuffisantable to provide for oneself independently of others
German selbstgenügsam
- selbstgenügsamable to provide for oneself independently of others
Greek αυτάρκης
- αυτάρκης (aftárkis)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Hindi आत्मनिर्भर, स्वावलंबी
- आत्मनिर्भर (ātmanirbhar)able to provide for oneself independently of others
- स्वावलंबी (svāvlambī)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Hungarian önellátó
- önellátóable to provide for oneself independently of others
Indonesian mandiri
- mandiriable to provide for oneself independently of others
Irish neamhthuilleamaíoch
- neamhthuilleamaíochable to provide for oneself independently of others
Italian autosufficiente
- autosufficienteable to provide for oneself independently of others
Japanese 自給自足ができる
- 自給自足ができるable to provide for oneself independently of others
Latin suī sufficiēns
- suī sufficiēnsable to provide for oneself independently of others
Norwegian Bokmål selvberget, selvforsørgende
- selvbergetable to provide for oneself independently of others
- selvforsørgendeable to provide for oneself independently of others
Polish samowystarczalny
- samowystarczalnyable to provide for oneself independently of others
Portuguese autossuficiente
- autossuficienteable to provide for oneself independently of others
Romanian independent
- independentable to provide for oneself independently of others
Russian самодоста́точный
- самодоста́точный (samodostátočnyj)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Scottish Gaelic fèin-fhoghainteach
- fèin-fhoghainteachable to provide for oneself independently of others
Spanish autosuficiente
- autosuficienteable to provide for oneself independently of others
Swedish självförsörjande
- självförsörjandeable to provide for oneself independently of others
Turkish kendi kendine yeterli
- kendi kendine yeterliable to provide for oneself independently of others
Ukrainian самодоста́тній
- самодоста́тній (samodostátnij)able to provide for oneself independently of others
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with self-sufficient
Cite this entry
self-sufficient. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-sufficient
“self-sufficient.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-sufficient. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “self-sufficient,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/self-sufficient.
Source: self-sufficient on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.