What is "autonym"

n. 1 (context taxonomy English) An infraspecific name in which the species epithet is repeated. 2 (context linguistics anthropology English) A name used by a group or category of people to refer to themselves or their language, as opposed to a name given to them by other groups. 3 The true name of a person or other entity, especially an author. 4 A work published under the author's true name."Autonym", OED 2nd ed.

Autonym may refer to:

• Autonym, the name used by a person to refer to themselves or their language
• Autonym (botany), an automatically created infrageneric or infraspecific name
• Autological word, a word that describes itself

In botanical nomenclature, autonyms are automatically created names, as regulated by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants that are created for certain subdivisions of genera and species, those that include the type of the genus or species. An autonym might not be mentioned in the publication that creates it as a side-effect. Autonyms "repeat unaltered" the genus name or species epithet of the taxon being subdivided, and no other name for that same subdivision is validly published (article 22.2). For example, Rubus subgenus Eubatus is not validly published, and the subgenus is known as Rubus subgen. Rubus.

Autonyms are cited without an author. The publication date of the autonym is taken to be the same as that of the subdivision(s) that automatically established the autonym, with some special provisions (the autonym is considered to have priority over the other names of the same rank established at the same time (article 11.6)).

Articles 6.8, 22.1-3 and 26.1-3 relate to establishing autonyms.

Autonyms are not created if the name of the genus or species being subdivided is illegitimate.