[au.to.mat.ic] adj [Gk automatos self-acting, fr. aut- + -matos (akin to L ment-, mens mind)--more at mind] (1748) 1 a: largely or wholly involuntary; esp: reflex
5. "~ blinking of the eyelids" b: acting or done spontaneously or unconsciously c: done or produced as if by machine: mechanical "the answers were ~"
2: having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism 3 of a firearm: using either gas pressure or force of recoil and mechanical spring action for repeatedly ejecting the empty cartridge shell, introducing a new cartridge, and firing it syn see spontaneous -- au.to.mat.i.cal.ly adv -- au.to.ma.tic.i.ty n
[2]automatic n (1902) 1: a machine or apparatus that operates automatically: as a: an automatic firearm b: an automatic gear-shifting mechanism
2: a semiautomatic firearm
3: audible