[ro.bot] n [Czech, fr. robota compulsory labor; akin to OHG arabeit trouble, L orbus orphaned--more at orphan] (1923) 1 a: a machine that looks like a human being and performs various complex acts (as walking or talking) of a human being; also: a similar but fictional machine whose lack of capacity for human emotions is often emphasized b: an efficient insensitive person who functions automatically
2: a device that automatically performs complicated often repetitive tasks
3: a mechanism guided by automatic controls -- ro.bot.ism n