automaton

au·tom·a·ton

Use automaton in a sentence

noun

The definition of an automaton is a self-propelled or self-powered machine.

An example of an automaton is a car that drives without a human driver.

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"automaton." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton>.

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automaton. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton

automaton

noun

pl. -·tons· or -·ta

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

Origin of automaton

Classical Latin from Gr, neuter of automatos: see automatic

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"automaton." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton>.

APA Style

automaton. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton

automaton

noun

pl. au·tom·a·tons, or au·tom·a·ta

A self-operating machine or mechanism, especially a robot.
One that behaves or responds in a mechanical way.

Origin of automaton

Latin self-operating machine from Greek from neuter of automatos self-acting ; see automatic .

Related Forms:

au·tom′a·tous
adjective

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"automaton." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton>.

APA Style

automaton. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton

Noun

(plural automatons or automata)

A machine or robot designed to follow a precise sequence of instructions.
A person who acts like a machine or robot, often defined as having a monotonous lifestyle and lacking in emotion.
Due to her strict adherence to her daily schedule, Jessica was becoming more and more convinced that she was an automaton.
A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second, that second for a third, and so on 'til the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering. - Thomas Jefferson
A formal system, such as finite automaton.
A toy in the form of a mechanical figure.

Hyponyms

robot

Origin

From Ancient Greek αὐτόματον (automaton), neuter of αὐτόματος (automatos, “self moving, self willed”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"automaton." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton>.

APA Style

automaton. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/automaton

automaton - Computer Definition

See automata theory.

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