robot

noun

ro·​bot ˈrō-ˌbät How to pronounce robot (audio)
-bət
plural robots
1
: a machine that resembles a living creature in being capable of moving independently (as by walking or rolling on wheels) and performing complex actions (such as grasping and moving objects)
When the next space launch heads for Mars, on board will be dozens of tiny mobile robots that will fan out across the Martian landscape, exploring every nook and cranny.Michael Bowker
often : such a machine built to resemble a human being or animal in appearance and behavior
While science fiction robots have been capable of independent thought, emotions, even a little cooking and sewing, scientists are finding that endowing a mechanical being with even the most basic human functions is a monumental challenge. Greg Freiherr
As a sign of the times, paleontologists themselves have taken to … designing dinosaur robots and displays … Malcolm W. Browne
often used before another noun
a robot dog
a robot servant
compare android, bot entry 1
2
a
: a device that automatically performs complicated, often repetitive tasks (as in an industrial assembly line)
the use of robots in car manufacturing
… factories run by robots producing many replicas of one product.Morris Philipson
often used before another noun
For fluid applications, especially in the automotive industry, the robot arm must have extremely flexible movement.Harry H. Poole
b
: a mechanism guided by automatic controls
a robot airplane
3
: a person who resembles a machine in seeming to function automatically or in lacking normal feelings or emotions
… seems to believe that professors are robots, students are superficial, grade-hungry receptacles …Micaela Rubalcava
robotism noun

Did you know?

In 1920, Czech writer Karel Čapek published a play titled R.U.R. Those initials stood for "Rossum's Universal Robots," which was the name of a fictional company that manufactured human-like machines designed to perform hard, dull, dangerous work for people. The machines in the play eventually grew to resent their jobs and rebelled—with disastrous results for humans. During the writing of his play, Čapek consulted with his brother, the painter and writer Josef Čapek, who suggested the name robot for these machines, from the Czech word robota, which means "forced labor." Robot made its way into our language in 1922 when R.U.R. was translated into English.

Examples of robot in a Sentence

The cars are assembled by robots.
Recent Examples on the Web Advanced sensors and multi-surface cleaning capabilities make this robot a game-changer. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2024 At their most basic level, AI agents are specialized software robots trained to perform specific tasks on behalf of users. Bernard Marr, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 The International Longshoremen’s Association’s fight against automation comes as the AI boom escalates concern from truck drivers to Hollywood stars to media workers about whether robots will soon be doing much of their work. Jenn Brice, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024 Ocean Infinity, which previously used its drones to help rediscover the USS Nevada and Endurance wrecks, originally wanted to simply test out multiple of its largest autonomous underwater robots simultaneously. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for robot 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'robot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Czech, from robota compulsory labor; akin to Old High German arabeit trouble, Latin orbus orphaned — more at orphan

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of robot was in 1922

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near robot

Cite this Entry

“Robot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robot. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

robot

noun
ro·​bot ˈrō-ˌbät How to pronounce robot (audio)
1
a
: a machine that looks and acts like a human being
b
: a capable but unfeeling person
2
: a device that automatically performs tasks that are complicated and often continuously repeated
robotic
rō-ˈbät-ik
adjective
robotically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb
Etymology

from Czech robot "a machine that looks human and performs dull or dangerous work," from robota "forced labor, work"

Word Origin
In 1923 a play by the Czech author Karel Čapek introduced the word robot to English. The title of the play, R.U.R., stood for "Rossum's Universal Robots," a fictional company that manufactured robots. These humanlike machines were supposed to perform all the hard, dull, and dangerous work for people, but they finally became resentful and rebelled, killing all humans. Čapek formed the word robot from the Czech robota, meaning "forced labor." The play was very popular and influential. As a result, the word robot came to have several meanings, including "a human being who has become brutal and insensitive or machinelike because of overwork and mistreatment." It is used today for machines that may not look human but do perform dangerous or dull work.

More from Merriam-Webster on robot

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