COMPOUND: αὐτοδίδακτος, -ον
CATEGORIZATION: A [Pro+V+Suf]
MEANING: ‘self-taught’
ETYMOLOGY: pronoun stem αὐτο- (αὐτός, -ή, -ό) ‘self’ + verbal root διδακ- (διδάσκω) ‘teach’ + adj. suf. -τος, -τον
OCCURRENCE: Od. XXII, 347
CASE/GENDER/NUMBER: nom. m. sg.
HEADEDNESS: exocentric
CLASSIFICATION: subordinate (complement-V) – tatpuruṣa (V-governing)
NOTES: traditional semantic interpretation as ‘self-taught’ is problematic in the context, see critique by Belardi (1990) who explains the meaning of this expression as referring to Phemius’ natural ability to make verses.