Automatically
/ɔːtəˈmætɪkli/noun
In a manner that is done without conscious thought or intervention.
Did you know?The term "automatic" relates to self-operating mechanisms, echoing ancient beliefs in machines as enchanted beings driven by unseen forces.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
αὐτόματος (automatos)
“Meaning 'self-moving' or 'spontaneous', referring to things that act of their own accord.”
Late Latin
Latin
automaticus
“Derived from Greek, used to describe self-acting or self-regulating actions.”
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
automaticus
“Referring to processes that occur without human intervention.”
18th Century
English
automatic
“Adopted into English to describe machines or systems that operate independently.”
19th Century
English
automatically
“Emerges as an adverb to describe actions performed without conscious control.”
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