Eight-year-old word play

Elise: Mommy! I saw an ominous car in our neighborhood!

Me: Ominous in what respect? You think the people looked suspicious?

Elise: No, the car was driving and it did not have a person behind the wheel. It stopped in front of Linda’s house and then it kept going and there was NO ONE INSIDE.

Me: Oh, you mean an autonomous car. Ominous means scary or threatening. An autonomous car drives itself. Autonomous is from a Greek word, meaning something that has its own laws. [Homeschool moms can’t help themselves.]

Elise: I’m pretty sure it was both autonomous and ominous.