1. a person who is native to or an original inhabitant of a place; an aboriginal or indigenous person
Usage: formal or academic; often used in anthropology and history
2. in Greek mythology, a person sprung from the earth itself; one of the earliest inhabitants of a region
Usage: mythology; classical

Examples

• The autochthons of Australia developed a rich culture over thousands of years.
• Scholars study the autochthons of the Mediterranean region to understand early human settlement.
• In Greek mythology, the autochthons were believed to have sprung directly from the soil.
• The autochthon population had deep knowledge of the land before colonization.
• Anthropologists distinguish between autochthons and later migrant groups in the region.