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automa

automaton

noun ow-TOH-mah Rare

Origin: From Greek automatos (self-moving)

Also means

robot

Usage Note

Automa is a masculine noun despite ending in -a — a pattern shared with Greek-origin words like il problema, il tema, il poema. The plural is gli automi. Figuratively it describes a person acting mechanically, without independent thought.

Examples

"Il robot si muoveva come un automa."

Natural Translation

The robot moved like an automaton.

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