/ ɔːˈtɒmətən; NAmE ɔːˈtɑːm-/ noun ( pl. au·toma·tons or au·tom·ata / -tə; NAmE /)
1.
a person who behaves like a machine, without thinking or feeling anything
SYN robot
2.
a machine that moves without human control; a small robot
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: via Latin from Greek , neuter of automatos acting of itself, from autos self.