I. |ȯd.ə|mad.ik, |ȯtə-, -atik, -ēk adjective
also au·to·mat·i·cal -ə̇kəl, -ēk-
Etymology: Greek automatos self-acting + English -ic, -ical — more at automaton
1.
a. : involuntary either wholly or to a major extent so that any activity of the will is largely negligible : of a reflex nature : without volition
the automatic blinking of the eyelids
b. : like or suggestive of an automaton : mechanical
the automatic smile of a tired store clerk
c. : performed without conscious awareness
an unthinking automatic response
2. archaic : able to move and act in total independence of any outside cause : having the power of motion and action entirely within self
3. : having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism that performs a required act at a predetermined point in an operation
automatic feed of a lathe
automatic record changer
4. : marked by spontaneous or apparently spontaneous action : marked by action that is unpremeditated and that arises as a really or apparently necessary reaction to or consequence of a given set of circumstances
the automatic enthusiasm of the crowd over the returning heroes
automatic branding of the suspect as a traitor
5. of a firearm : marked by the use of either gas pressure or force of recoil and mechanical spring action for ejecting the empty cartridge case after the first shot, loading the next cartridge from the magazine, firing, ejecting the spent case, and repeating the above cycle as long as the pressure on the trigger is maintained and there is ammunition in the magazine or other loading device
automatic weapons
— compare semiautomatic
Synonyms: see spontaneous
II. noun
( -s )
: a machine or apparatus that operates automatically ; especially : an automatic or autoloading firearm
III. noun
: audible herein