Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

automatic

Cross references:
  1. spontaneous           
 
1. au.to.mat.ic \.o.t-*-'mat-ik\ \-i-k(*-)le-\ aj [Gk automatos 
   self-acting, fr. aut- + -matos (akin to L me]nt-, mens mind) - more at MIND 
   1a: largely or wholly involuntary; esp : REFLEX  1b: acting or done 
   spontaneously or unconsciously; also : resembli ng an automaton : 
   MECHANICAL 2: having a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism  of a 
   firearm  3: using either gas pressure or force of recoil and mechanical 
   spring action for repeatedly ejecting the empty cartridge shell, 
   introducing a new cartridge, and firing it - au.to.mat.i.cal.ly av
2. automatic n : a machine or apparatus that operates automatically; esp : 
   an aut omatic firearm