autodidacticism means self-education; self-directed learning. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 88 out of 100.
autodidacticism is pronounced /ˌɔːtəʊdaɪˈdæktɪsɪzəm/.
Why “autodidacticism” is a great word
AUTODIDACTICISM — [Noun] The practice or principle of self-directed learning without the formal guidance of teachers. From auto- (self) + didactic (pertaining to teaching) + -ism (forming nouns of practice or doctrine), with the earliest attested use found in 1890 in the writing of G. T. Mejdell. Unlike pedagogy (which concerns the formal art of teaching) or tutelage (which implies a protective guide), autodidacticism is the solitary navigation of knowledge. It is the scent of old paper in a silent library stack, the patient disassembly of a broken clock to learn its logic, and the slow, error-filled process of teaching oneself a language from a cracked phrasebook—a testament to the mind's stubborn conviction that it can build its own world from the inside out.
noun
- self-education; self-directed learning.
- A belief or predisposition in favor of self-directed learning.