Definition of automaton
automatons
orautomata
play \-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.
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of automaton from the Web
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With the flexibility to create any game imaginable, Highwire came up with Golem, a game about making, then inhabiting the bodies of, automatons great and small.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'automaton'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
Origin and Etymology of automaton
Latin, from Greek, neuter of automatos —see 1automatic
First Known Use: 1639
Other Mechanical Engineering Terms
AUTOMATON Defined for English Language Learners
automaton
playDefinition of automaton for English Language Learners
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: a machine that can move by itself
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: a person who acts in a mechanical or machinelike way
Learn More about automaton
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See words that rhyme with automaton Spanish Central: Translation of automaton Nglish: Translation of automaton for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about automaton
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