automatic

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[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French automatique, from Greek αυτοματικός (automatikos), from Ancient Greek αὐτόματον (automaton), neuter of αὐτόματος (automatos), selfmoving, moving of oneself, self-acting, spontaneous), from αὐτός (autos), self, myself) + μέμαα (memaa), to wish eagerly, strive, yearn, desire).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

automatic (not comparable)

Positive
automatic

Comparative
not comparable

Superlative
none (absolute)

  1. Capable of operating without external control or intervention.
    The automatic clothes washer was a great labor-saving device
  2. Done out of habit or without conscious thought.
    The reaction was automatic: flight!
  3. (of a firearm such as a machine gun) Firing continuously as long as the trigger is pressed until ammunition is exhausted.
  4. (computing, of a local variable) Being added and removed from the stack automatically during the course of function calls.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Antonyms

  • (not capable of operating with external control): manual
  • (not without conscious thought): voluntary

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Related terms

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[edit] Noun

Singular
automatic

Plural
automatics

automatic (plural automatics)

  1. A car with automatic transmission.
    I never learned to drive a stick. I can only drive an automatic.
  2. (proscribed) A semi-automatic pistol.

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Translations

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