Automaton

Pronunciation

• enPR: ô-tŏm'É™-tÉ™n, IPA: /ɔːˈtÉ’mÉ™tÉ™n/, /ɔːˈtÉ’məˌtÉ’n/

Origin

From Ancient Greek αὐτόματον, neuter of αὐτόματος ("self moving, self willed").

Full definition of automaton

Noun

1. A machine or robot designed to follow a precise sequence of instructions.
2. 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
3. A formal system, such as finite automaton.
4. A toy in the form of a mechanical figure.

Derived terms

• auton
• cellular automaton

Related terms

• automat
• automatic
• automatization
• automatize
• automation

Hyponyms

• robot