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Automaton - 5 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
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.

Automaton

Au*tom"a*ton\, n.; pl. L. Automata, E. Automatons. [L. fr. Gr. ?, neut. of ? self-moving; ? self + a root ma, man, to strive, think, cf. ? to strive. See Mean, v. i.]

1. Any thing or being regarded as having the power of spontaneous motion or action. --Huxley.

So great and admirable an automaton as the world. --Boyle.

These living automata, human bodies. --Boyle.

2. A self-moving machine, or one which has its motive power within itself; -- applied chiefly to machines which appear to imitate spontaneously the motions of living beings, such as men, birds, etc.
Language Translation for : Automaton
Spanish: autómata,
German: der Roboter,
Japanese: 自動人形

automaton 
1611, from L. automaton, from Gk. automaton, neut. of automatos "self-acting," from autos "self" + matos "thinking, animated."

automaton robotics, mathematics, algorithm
(Plural automata) A machine, robot, or formal system designed to follow a precise sequence of instructions.
Automata theory, the invention and study of automata, includes the study of the capabilities and limitations of computing processes, the manner in which systems receive input, process it, and produce output, and the relationships between behavioural theories and the operation and use of automated devices.
See also cellular automaton, finite state machine.
(1996-04-23)

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