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automatic Definition

auto·matic (ôt′ə mat′ik)

adjective

  1. done without conscious thought or volition, as if mechanically
  2. involuntary or reflex, as some muscle or gland action
    1. moving, operating, etc. by itself; regulating itself automatic machinery
    2. done with automatic equipment an automatic landing
  4. Firearms
    1. using the force of the explosion of a shell to eject the empty cartridge case, place the next cartridge into the breech, and fire it, so that shots continue in rapid succession until the trigger is released
    2. semiautomatic (sense )

Etymology: < Gr automatos, self-moving, self-thinking (< autos, self + component < IE *mntos, thinking < base *men-, to think > mind, memory) + -ic

noun

  1. an automatic (or, popularly, semiautomatic) firearm
  2. any automatic machine
  3. an automotive vehicle having a transmission that changes gears automatically

automatic Related Forms
au′to·mat′i·cally adverb
automatic Synonyms

automatic

modif.

  1. Mechanical

    self-starting, motorized, self-regulating, automated, mechanized, electric, under its own power, under its own steam, cybernetic, self-operating, self-moving, self-acting, self-propelled, computerized, programmed, electronic, robotized, push-button*.

    Antonyms manual*, hand-operated, by hand.

  2. Habitual

    involuntary, unthinking, mechanical, instinctive, spontaneous, reflex, intuitive, unintentional, unforced, unconscious, unwilling, knee-jerk*; see also habitual 1, spontaneous. See syn. study at spontaneous.

    Antonyms deliberate*, willed*, premeditated.

automatic Usage Examples

Preposition: for

  • employe: Membership is normally automatic for most employees under age 75 ( age 65 in Scotland ) except casual employees who must opt to join.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • use: On a new disk, it's better to use BIOS automatic hard disk recognition and say " yes " .

Modifies a noun

  • gearbox: Trade up to an SE and there's an automatic gearbox, metallic paint, alloys, cruise, side air bags and leather.
  • transmission: The fully automatic 4WD transmission regulates traction on the four wheels from 0 to 100 % according to grip.
  • machine: The first automatic washing machine she had was a fairly large, upright machine with an electric ringer on the top.
  • detection: Unwanted Fire Signals This section provides more information on false alarms from automatic fire detection & alarm systems.
  • recognition: In this paper we explore the use of various meeting corpora for the purpose of automatic speech recognition.
  • rifle: These brothers entered the sleeping quarters carrying pistols and automatic rifles.

Modifying Another Word

  • fully: Nothing to remember, nothing to do - fully automatic engine starting protection!
  • completely: The operating sequence of the lift is completely automatic: drivers can remain in their seats.
  • purely: In the purely automatic case, in which no relevance judgements are available, it is assumed that the top nr documents are relevant.
  • totally: I'm imaging this as a second use for the odometer, and totally automatic.
  • entirely: The build process is almost entirely automatic, with very little need for human intervention.
  • not: However, there is not automatic right to open 24 hours.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: This has three immediate benefits: Previously difficult tasks become automatic.
  • introduce: The next application introduces automatic tailoring to the user's needs.
  • allow: The web technology allows automatic filtering of individual prescriptions to suitable eyewear.
  • mean: Acceptance onto the 30+ Scheme is by no means automatic.
  • receive: As a Registered User you will be able to select to receive automatic e-mails when new content is posted within any of these sections.
  • include: Shooting modes include automatic, easy, movie mode, photo review, economy mode and scene mode.
automatic Quotes

The automatic machine, whatever we thinkof any feelings it may or may not have, is the precise economic equivalent of the slave.

—Wiener, Norbert

My uncle was famous for his balanced point of view. At the time of which I am writing (when he was nearly seventy) it had become so balanced, that the act of balancing seemed rather automatic.One had only to offer him an opinion for him to balance it with a counter- opinion of exactly the same weight, as a grocer puts a pound weight against a pound of sugar.

—Spender, Sir Stephen Harold