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auto

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "auto"

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”), metanalyzed from auto- in words such as automatic, autopilot, and automobile.

Adjective

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auto (not comparable)

  1. (automotive) Clipping of automatic. (of a gearbox/transmission)
    It's an auto sedan which we picked up from a wholesaler locally.

Noun

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auto (countable and uncountable, plural autos)

  2. (now chiefly attributive) Clipping of automobile.
    My brother is an auto mechanic. He can get me a discount on auto parts.
    In 1909, his grandfather was the first farmer in the county to buy an auto.
    • 2024 December 17, Chris Isidore, “The retreat from the world’s largest auto market has begun”, in CNN‎[1]:
      “There were golden years for GM in China, but those are over, and they’ll never have a comeback story,” said Michael Dunne, an auto industry consultant who has been involved in Western automakers’ efforts in China since the 1990s, including GM’s entry into the market.
    • 2025 March 5, John Towfighi, “US stocks rally on Trump’s tariff exemption for autos”, in CNN‎[2]:
      “We spoke with the Big Three auto dealers. We are going to give a one-month exemption on any autos coming through USMCA,” President Donald Trump said in a statement read by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing Wednesday. Those dealers included Stellantis, Ford and General Motors.
  3. (uncountable) A setting for automatic operation.
    Synonym: automatic
    Antonym: manual
    Put it on auto.
  4. (automotive) An automatic gearbox/transmission.
    A body-coloured centre pillar signalled the arrival of an electronic four-speed auto, slight suspension revisions and minor trim changes.
  5. (automotive) A car with an automatic gearbox/transmission.
    It wasn't too bad but we did hire an auto (couldn't imagine changing gears with my right hand).
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Verb

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auto (third-person singular simple present autos, present participle autoing, simple past and past participle autoed)

  1. (intransitive, dated) To travel by automobile.
    • 1907, Automotive Industries, volume 16, page 711:
      The food was excellent and well served, and it recalled the Norman cities he had autoed to.
    • 1924, The Smith Alumnae Quarterly, volumes 16-17, page 318:
      Christmas Day we decided to spend in snow, in order to feel more at home, and so we autoed up 5000 ft. to Peira Cava and reveled in the winter sports, autoing back to the roses and “summer time” at nightfall.

Etymology 2

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Clipping of autorickshaw, from Hindi ऑटो रिक्शा (ŏṭo rikśā).

Noun

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auto (plural autos)

  1. (India) An autorickshaw.
    Users are often unable to note down the number of the taxi or the auto as the driver will just zoom past.

See also

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Anagrams

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Basque

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Etymology

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Clipping of automobil.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto inan

  1. automobile, car
    Synonyms: kotxe, beribil
    Xabier auto berria erosi du. ― Xabier has bought a new car.

Declension

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Declension of auto (inanimate, ending in vowel)
indefinite singular plural
absolutive auto autoa autoak
ergative autok autoak autoek
dative autori autoari autoei
genitive autoren autoaren autoen
comitative autorekin autoarekin autoekin
causative autorengatik autoarengatik autoengatik
benefactive autorentzat autoarentzat autoentzat
instrumental autoz autoaz autoez
inessive autotan autoan autoetan
locative autotako autoko autoetako
allative autotara autora autoetara
terminative autotaraino autoraino autoetaraino
directive autotarantz autorantz autoetarantz
destinative autotarako autorako autoetarako
ablative autotatik autotik autoetatik
partitive autorik — —
prolative autotzat — —

Derived terms

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Further reading

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  • “auto”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
  • “auto”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Catalan

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Etymology

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Clipping of automòbil.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto m (plural autos)

  1. car; automobile

Further reading

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Cimbrian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Italian auto, a clipping of automobile.

Noun

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auto m

  1. (Luserna) car, automobile

References

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Czech

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Czech Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia cs

Etymology

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Borrowed from Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ˈau̯to]
  • Hyphenation: au‧to

Noun

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auto n

  1. car, automobile

Declension

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Declension of auto (hard neuter)
singular plural
nominative auto auta
genitive auta aut
dative autu autům
accusative auto auta
vocative auto auta
locative autu, autě autech
instrumental autem auty

Further reading

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  • “auto”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
  • “auto”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
  • “auto”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Dutch

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French auto, from automobile. Equivalent to a shortened form of automobiel.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɑu̯toː/, /ˈoːtoː/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: au‧to

Noun

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auto m (plural auto's, diminutive autootje n)

  1. car, automobile
    Synonyms: automobiel, bak, kar, wagen, waggie
    Hyponym: oldtimer

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • → Aukan: oto
  • → Caribbean Hindustani: oto
  • → Caribbean Javanese: oto
  • → Indonesian: oto
  • → Lokono: ôto
  • → Papiamentu: outo
  • → Sranan Tongo: oto
    • → Saramaccan: otó
    • → Trió: oto
  • → West Frisian: auto

Estonian

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɑu̯to/, [ˈɑu̯tˑo]

Noun

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auto (genitive auto, partitive autot)

  1. car, automobile
  2. (at second or later mention) any motor vehicle, including trucks, vans, and fire engines.

Declension

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Declension of auto (ÕS type 16/pere, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative auto autod
accusative nom.
gen. auto
genitive autode
partitive autot autosid
illative autosse autodesse
inessive autos autodes
elative autost autodest
allative autole autodele
adessive autol autodel
ablative autolt autodelt
translative autoks autodeks
terminative autoni autodeni
essive autona autodena
abessive autota autodeta
comitative autoga autodega

Finnish

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Etymology

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Clipping of automobiili; see it for more.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɑu̯to/, [ˈɑ̝u̯t̪o̞]
  • Rhymes: -ɑuto
  • Syllabification(key): au‧to
  • Hyphenation(key): au‧to

Noun

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auto

  1. car, automobile

Declension

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Inflection of auto (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative auto autot
genitive auton autojen
partitive autoa autoja
illative autoon autoihin
singular plural
nominative auto autot
accusative nom. auto autot
gen. auton
genitive auton autojen
partitive autoa autoja
inessive autossa autoissa
elative autosta autoista
illative autoon autoihin
adessive autolla autoilla
ablative autolta autoilta
allative autolle autoille
essive autona autoina
translative autoksi autoiksi
abessive autotta autoitta
instructive — autoin
comitative See the possessive forms below.
Possessive forms of auto (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
first-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative autoni autoni
accusative nom. autoni autoni
gen. autoni
genitive autoni autojeni
partitive autoani autojani
inessive autossani autoissani
elative autostani autoistani
illative autooni autoihini
adessive autollani autoillani
ablative autoltani autoiltani
allative autolleni autoilleni
essive autonani autoinani
translative autokseni autoikseni
abessive autottani autoittani
instructive — —
comitative — autoineni
second-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative autosi autosi
accusative nom. autosi autosi
gen. autosi
genitive autosi autojesi
partitive autoasi autojasi
inessive autossasi autoissasi
elative autostasi autoistasi
illative autoosi autoihisi
adessive autollasi autoillasi
ablative autoltasi autoiltasi
allative autollesi autoillesi
essive autonasi autoinasi
translative autoksesi autoiksesi
abessive autottasi autoittasi
instructive — —
comitative — autoinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative automme automme
accusative nom. automme automme
gen. automme
genitive automme autojemme
partitive autoamme autojamme
inessive autossamme autoissamme
elative autostamme autoistamme
illative autoomme autoihimme
adessive autollamme autoillamme
ablative autoltamme autoiltamme
allative autollemme autoillemme
essive autonamme autoinamme
translative autoksemme autoiksemme
abessive autottamme autoittamme
instructive — —
comitative — autoinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative autonne autonne
accusative nom. autonne autonne
gen. autonne
genitive autonne autojenne
partitive autoanne autojanne
inessive autossanne autoissanne
elative autostanne autoistanne
illative autoonne autoihinne
adessive autollanne autoillanne
ablative autoltanne autoiltanne
allative autollenne autoillenne
essive autonanne autoinanne
translative autoksenne autoiksenne
abessive autottanne autoittanne
instructive — —
comitative — autoinenne
third-person possessor
singular plural
nominative autonsa autonsa
accusative nom. autonsa autonsa
gen. autonsa
genitive autonsa autojensa
partitive autoaan
autoansa 		autojaan
autojansa
inessive autossaan
autossansa 		autoissaan
autoissansa
elative autostaan
autostansa 		autoistaan
autoistansa
illative autoonsa autoihinsa
adessive autollaan
autollansa 		autoillaan
autoillansa
ablative autoltaan
autoltansa 		autoiltaan
autoiltansa
allative autolleen
autollensa 		autoilleen
autoillensa
essive autonaan
autonansa 		autoinaan
autoinansa
translative autokseen
autoksensa 		autoikseen
autoiksensa
abessive autottaan
autottansa 		autoittaan
autoittansa
instructive — —
comitative — autoineen
autoinensa

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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compounds

Further reading

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Anagrams

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French

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Etymology

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Clipping of automobile.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto f (plural autos)

  1. car
    Synonyms: automobile, voiture

Descendants

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  • → Armenian: օթո (ōtʻo)
  • → Mauritian Creole: loto
  • → Moroccan Arabic: لوطو (lūṭu)
  • → Turkish: oto
  • → Vietnamese: ô tô

Anagrams

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Inari Sami

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Finnish auto.

Noun

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auto

  1. car

Inflection

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Even inflection in -o[1]
singular plural
Nominative auto autoh
Accusative auto autoid
Genitive auto autoi
Illative auton autoid
Locative autost autoin
Comitative autoin autoiguin
Abessive autottáá autoittáá
Essive auton —
Partitive autod —

Alternative forms

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References

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  1. ^ auto in Giellatekno Inari Sami paradigm generator

Interlingua

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Etymology

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Shortened form of automobile, from Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”).

Noun

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auto (plural autos)

  1. car, automobile
    Synonym: automobile

Italian

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Clipping of automobile.

Noun

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auto f (invariable)

  1. Clipping of automobile: car
    Synonyms: automobile, macchina, vettura
Derived terms
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Descendants
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Etymology 2

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Clipping of autobus.

Noun

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auto m (invariable)

  1. (regional) Clipping of autobus: bus
    Synonym: autobus

Etymology 3

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From Spanish and Portuguese auto (literally “act”).

Noun

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auto m (invariable)

  1. (historical, uncountable) auto (genre of dramatic literature)
  2. (historical) an auto literary work
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References

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  1. ^ auto in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)

Further reading

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  • auto1 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
  • auto2 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Japanese

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Romanization

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auto

  1. Rōmaji transcription of アウト

Kari'na

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-Cariban *ôwtô; compare Wayana ëutë, Waiwai ïwtï, Akawaio öutö, Macushi ewîtî, Pemon autö, Ye'kwana öttö.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto (possessed auty)

  1. house, hut
  2. home, dwelling in general

References

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  • Courtz, Hendrik (2008) A Carib grammar and dictionary‎[4], Toronto: Magoria Books, →ISBN, page 248
  • Ahlbrinck, Willem (1931) “auto”, in Encyclopaedie der Karaïben, Amsterdam: Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, page 117; republished as Willem Ahlbrinck, Doude van Herwijnen, transl., L'Encyclopédie des Caraïbes‎[5], Paris, 1956, page 117

Latin

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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autō

  1. dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of autus

Latvian

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Etymology 1

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Shortened form of automašīna.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto m (invariable)

  1. (colloquial) car (automobile, a vehicle steered by a driver)
    Synonyms: automašīna, mašīna

Etymology 2

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See aut.

Participle

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auto

  1. inflection of autais:
    1. vocative/accusative/instrumental singular masculine/feminine
    2. genitive plural masculine/feminine

Nauruan

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Noun

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auto

  1. car

Neapolitan

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Inherited from Latin altus.

Adjective

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auto (feminine singular auta, masculine plural aute, feminine plural aute)

  1. tall
  2. high (positionally)

Adverb

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auto

  1. high

References

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  • Giacco, Giuseppe (2003) “àuto-a”, in Schedario Napoletano

Polish

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Etymology

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Borrowed from German Auto.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto n (diminutive autko)

  1. (colloquial) car, automobile
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:samochód

Declension

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Declension of auto
singular plural
nominative auto auta
genitive auta aut
dative autu autom
accusative auto auta
instrumental autem autami
locative aucie autach
vocative auto auta

Further reading

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  • auto in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • auto in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

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Pronunciation

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  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈaw.tu/ [ˈaʊ̯.tu]
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈaw.to/ [ˈaʊ̯.to]

Etymology 1

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Semi-learned borrowing from Latin āctus, perfect passive participle of agō (“to make, I do”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- (“to lead”). Doublet of ato and acto.

Noun

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auto m (plural autos)

  1. a public deed or ceremony
    Synonyms: solenidade, cerimônia
  2. auto (a sub-genre of dramatic literature)
  3. (dated) act; deed
    Synonyms: feito, ato, ação
  4. act (record of an accomplishment)
  5. document that is part of a lawsuit or court case
  6. narration or description of an event made by a public authority and which serves as evidence of such event (e.g. a traffic citation)
Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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Clipping of automóvel.

Noun

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auto m (plural autos)

  1. (Portugal) automobile; car
    Synonyms: automóvel, carro, veículo
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Romagnol

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Etymology

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Clipping of automòbila.

Pronunciation

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  • (Central Romagnol): IPA(key): [ˈaɐ̯uto]

Noun

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auto f (invariable)

  1. car
    Synonym: automòbila

Derived terms

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References

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  • Masotti, Adelmo (1996) Vocabolario Romagnolo Italiano [Romagnol-Italian dictionary] (in Italian), Bologna: Zanichelli, page 46

Serbo-Croatian

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Etymology

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Clipping of automòbīl.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ǎuto/
  • Hyphenation: a‧u‧to

Noun

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àuto m or n (Cyrillic spelling а̀уто)

  1. car, automobile
    Synonym: kola
    Ne možeš da uzmeš auto, jer nema benzina. ― You can’t take the car, because there isn’t any gas.
    • 1989, Vidosav Stevanović, Inicijali:
      Cigareta beše gorka kao pepeo. Sedeo sam u autu (ruke na volanu, glava na rukama) i osluškivao kišu – večan, jednoličan i uvek nov šum, dirljivo dosadan i meni neobično, tužno uzbudljiv; rominjala je šapućući kao starica koja plače na tuđem grobu.
      The cigarette was as bitter as ash. I sat in the car (hands on the steering wheel, head on my hands) and listened to the rain - eternal, monotonous and always new noise, touchingly boring and strangely, sadly exciting for me; she whispered like an old woman crying at someone else's grave.

Usage notes

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  • While the masculine form is preferred across all standards, the neuter gender is often found both in Serbian and Croatian dialects ("plavo auto" instead of "plavi auto"). In some regions (e.g. parts of Dalmatia), the word is almost always used in its neuter form. When the word is used with neuter gender, the declension changes accordingly.

Declension

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Declension with masculine gender
singular plural
nominative auto auti
genitive auta auta
dative autu autima
accusative auto aute
vocative auto auti
locative autu autima
instrumental autom autima
Declension with neuter gender
singular plural
nominative auto auta
genitive auta auta
dative autu autima
accusative auto auta
vocative auto auta
locative autu autima
instrumental autom autima

References

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  • “auto”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Slovak

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto n (relational adjective autový, diminutive autíčko)

  1. car

Declension

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Declension of auto
(pattern mesto)
singularplural
nominativeautoautá
genitiveautaáut
dativeautuautám
accusativeautoautá
locativeauteautách
instrumentalautomautami

Further reading

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  • “auto”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Spanish

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Clipping of automóvil, from Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”).

Noun

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auto m (plural autos)

  1. (Southern Cone, Andes, Mexico, Philippines) car, automobile
    Synonyms: automóvil, (Mexico, Central America, Caribbean America, Colombia, Venezuela) carro, (Philippines, Spain) coche
Derived terms
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Etymology 2

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Early borrowing from Latin actus. Doublet of the later borrowing acto.

Noun

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auto m (plural autos)

  1. (law, formal) order, writ, resolution
  2. (literature) short play from the Middle Ages or the Renaissance
Derived terms
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Further reading

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West Frisian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Dutch auto, from French auto.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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auto c (plural auto's)

  1. A car, an automobile.
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