AUTOMATON


Meaning of AUTOMATON in English

ȯˈtämətən, -əd.ən, -ət ə n also əˈtäm- or -məˌtän noun

( plural automatons -nz ; also automa·ta -mətə, -əd.ə sometimes -əˌtä or -əˌtȧ)

Etymology: Latin, from Greek, neuter of automatos self-acting, from aut- + -matos (akin to Sanskrit mata thought) — more at mind

1. archaic : something that has within itself the principle of its movements

2.

a. : a mechanism that is relatively self-moving

b. : a contrivance or figure that appears to imitate the motions of men or animals : robot

tiny wooden soldiers that could be wound with a key and that would then march stiffly along — wonderful little automatons

3. : a machine or a controlling mechanism designed to follow automatically a predetermined sequence of operations or respond to encoded instructions and correct errors or deviations occurring during operation

4. : a creature whose actions are fixed, routine, and mechanical with little or no indication of active intelligence

dull unthinking human automatons

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.