Where does “automatic” come from?
Automatic comes from French automatique, derived from French automate, which comes from Ancient Greek αὐτόματον, meaning self-acting or self-moving.
automatic (English): Capable of operating without external control or...
Definitions
- Capable of operating without external control or...
Ancestry of “automatic”, step by step
automatic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French automatique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | automatique | automatic |
| 2 | French | automate | automaton |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | αὐτόματον | accident, mere chance |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | αὐτόματος | self-willed, unbidden; self-moving,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μέμαα | to wish eagerly, strive, yearn, desire |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μέμονα | to be minded or inclined; to be eager; to hasten |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | memóne | to think, to be mindful; to remember |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via New Latin automaticus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Latin | automaticus | — |