automaton

noun

au·​tom·​a·​ton ȯ-ˈtä-mə-tən 

-mə-ˌtän

plural automatons or automata ȯ-ˈtä-mə-tə 

-mə-ˌtä

1

: a mechanism that is relatively self-operating

especially : robot

2

: a machine or control mechanism designed to follow automatically a predetermined sequence of operations or respond to encoded instructions

3

: an individual who acts in a mechanical fashion

He is an unfeeling automaton.

Did you know?

The idea of the automaton has fascinated people for many centuries. A traveler to the emperor's court in Byzantium in A.D. 949 reported that mechanical birds sat in a golden tree singing the songs of their species; that mechanical lions flanked the throne, roaring and switching their great tails; and that, as he stood watching, the emperor's throne suddenly shot upward toward the high ceiling, and when it slowly descended the emperor was wearing new robes. Early automata (notice the common plural form) often relied on water, steam, or falling weights to power them. Today automata, often called robots, are used in manufacturing plants to build not only vehicles but also much smaller electronic equipment.

Examples of automaton in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From the early days of mechanical automatons to more recent conversational bots, scientists and engineers have dreamed of a future where AI systems can work and act intelligently and independently. —Mark Purdy, Harvard Business Review, 12 Dec. 2024

Dolls, figurines, and automatons show our long-standing interest in building things that look and act like us. —Gerui Wang, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

Too many companies treat their offshore teams as automatons to close tickets without a word exchange between them. —Emilien Coquard, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

Both spotlight machinery, one boasting a drone, the other a female automaton. —The New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

earlier "contrivance with a hidden mechanism that appears to operate on its own," borrowed from Latin automatum, automaton, borrowed from Greek autómaton, noun derivative from neuter of autómatos "of one's own accord, acting without external intervention, natural," from auto- auto- + -matos, going back to Indo-European *mn̥to-, adjective derivative of the verbal base *men- "conceive a thought" (also in Greek mémona "[I] am eager, have in mind, intend," ménos "passion, resolve"), whence also Latin commentus "feigned, fabricated" (past participle of comminīscī "to think up, invent"), Sanskrit matá-, verbal adjective of mányate "(s/he) thinks" — more at mind entry 1

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

automaton

noun

au·​tom·​a·​ton ȯ-ˈtäm-ət-ən 

-ˈtäm-ə-ˌtän

plural automatons or automata -ət-ə 

1

: a machine that can move by itself

especially : robot sense 1a

2

: a person who acts in a mechanical way