noun pl. automatons -·tons′ or automata -·ta (-tə)

1. anything that can move or act of itself
2. an apparatus that automatically performs certain actions by responding to preset controls or encoded instructions
3. an electronic machine, control device, etc. equipped with a computer and designed to operate automatically in response to instructions previously fed into the computer
4. a person or animal acting in an automatic or mechanical way

Etymology: L < Gr, neut. of automatos: see automatic