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AUTOMATONS

 - 3 dictionary results

au⋅tom⋅a⋅ton

[aw-tom-uh-ton, -tn]
–noun, plural -tons, -ta [-tuh] .
1. a mechanical figure or contrivance constructed to act as if by its own motive power; robot.
2. a person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence.
3. something capable of acting automatically or without an external motive force.

Origin:
1605–15; < L: automatic device < Gk, n. use of neut. of autómatos spontaneous, acting without human agency, equiv. to auto- auto- 1 + -matos, adj. deriv. from base of memonénai to intend, ménos might, force


au⋅tom⋅a⋅tous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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au·tom·a·ton   (ô-tŏm'ə-tən, -tŏn')   
n.   pl. au·tom·a·tons or au·tom·a·ta (-tə)
  1. A self-operating machine or mechanism, especially a robot.

  2. One that behaves or responds in a mechanical way.


[Latin, self-operating machine, from Greek, from neuter of automatos, self-acting; see automatic.]
au·tom'a·tous adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

automaton 
1611, from L. automaton, from Gk. automaton, neut. of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" + matos "thinking, animated."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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