The Latin/Greek term (autós = self, chthón = earth) means "long-established, indigenous, native to the soil" and, in relation to geology and biology, "originating or occurring at the site of discovery" (the opposite is allochthonous, meaning originating elsewhere - not native to the site of discovery). A related term is "endemic" (endemie), which means "occurring locally" or "common in a particular area" (but not necessarily originating there). The term "autochthonous", often used in describing grape varieties, means in a narrower sense that the vine is almost exclusively or predominantly traditionally cultivated in a particular area, where it also originated or at least has a relatively long history and has acquired a certain cultural significance.
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