autotomy

== English == === Etymology === From auto- +‎ -tomy, after German Autotomie or French autotomie. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ɔːˈtɒtəmi/ === Noun === autotomy (countable and uncountable, plural autotomies) (chiefly zoology) The spontaneous removal of a limb, tail etc, especially by some invertebrates as a self-defense mechanism. ==== Hyponyms ==== tail-shedding ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ====