n.1 a machine with a human appearance or functioning like a human.
2 a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.
3 a person who works mechanically and efficiently but insensitively.
4 S.Afr. an automatic traffic-signal.
Derivatives:
robotic adj. robotize v.tr. (also -ise).
Etymology: Czech (in K. C.apek'.s play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) 1920), f. robota forced labour