automatic

1 of 2

adjective

au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-tik 

1

a

: largely or wholly involuntary

especially : reflex sense 5

automatic blinking of the eyelids

b

: acting or done spontaneously or unconsciously

the automatic applause of the audience

c

: done or produced as if by machine : mechanical

the answers were automatic

2

: having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism

an automatic transmission

3

of a firearm : firing repeatedly until the trigger is released

automatically

ˌȯ-tə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

automaticity

ˌȯ-tə-mə-ˈti-sə-tē 

-ma-

noun

automatic

2 of 2

noun

1

: a machine or apparatus that operates automatically

especially : an automatic firearm

2

a

: an automatic transmission

a car with a three-speed automatic

b

: an automobile with an automatic transmission

Is your car an automatic or a manual?

3

American football : audible

Synonyms

Adjective

• instinctive
• instinctual
• involuntary
• knee-jerk
• mechanic
• mechanical
• robotic
• spontaneous

Choose the Right Synonym for automatic

spontaneous, impulsive, instinctive, automatic, mechanical mean acting or activated without deliberation.

spontaneous implies lack of prompting and connotes naturalness.

a spontaneous burst of applause

impulsive implies acting under stress of emotion or spirit of the moment.

impulsive acts of violence

instinctive stresses action involving neither judgment nor will.

blinking is an instinctive reaction

automatic implies action engaging neither the mind nor the emotions and connotes a predictable response.

his denial was automatic

mechanical stresses the lifeless, often perfunctory character of the response.

a mechanical teaching method

Examples of automatic in a Sentence

Adjective

Without thinking, he gave an automatic reply.

She always has an automatic smile for everyone.

Noun

Will your next car be a manual or an automatic?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Some would offer only a few settings and didn’t have an automatic shutoff timer option either. —Ali Faccenda, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024

Worth mentioning: After UT received more than 70,000 applications this year, the university tightened its enrollment requirements, approving only the top 5% of each high school senior class for automatic admission for applicants in 2026. —Asher Price, Axios, 18 Nov. 2024

Noun

Keep an eye out for my review of the automatics soon. —Jaina Grey, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024

In the car world, automatics are practical and simple for the majority of commuting drivers, but enthusiasts often prefer the extra control and involvement of a clutch and a stick-shift. —New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin automaticus, from Latin automatum "contrivance with a hidden mechanism that appears to operate on its own" (borrowed from Greek autómaton) + -icus -ic entry 1 — more at automaton

Noun

derivative of automatic entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing automatic

• automatic pilot
• automatic teller
• automatic teller machine
• automatic transmission
• automatic writing
• Browning automatic rifle

Kids Definition

automatic

1 of 2 adjective

au·​to·​mat·​ic ˌȯt-ə-ˈmat-ik 

1

a

: largely or wholly involuntary

especially : reflex sense 2

b

: acting or done without conscious thought or intention

an automatic smile

2

: having devices or mechanisms that permit operation without help from a person

automatic washer

3

: firing repeatedly until the trigger is released

an automatic rifle

automatically

-ˈmat-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

automatic

2 of 2 noun

: an automatic machine or device

especially : an automatic firearm

Legal Definition

automatic

adjective

au·​to·​mat·​ic

: happening or existing through the operation of a preexisting arrangement that is triggered by some event

specifically : happening or existing through the operation of law

automatic reversal

an automatic appeal

automatically adverb