robot

noun

ro·bot ˈrō-ˌbät

-bət

plural robots

: a machine that resembles a living creature in being capable of moving independently (as by walking or rolling on wheels) and performing complex actions (such as grasping and moving objects)

When the next space launch heads for Mars, on board will be dozens of tiny mobile robots that will fan out across the Martian landscape, exploring every nook and cranny.—

Michael Bowker

often : such a machine built to resemble a human being or animal in appearance and behavior

While science fiction robots have been capable of independent thought, emotions, even a little cooking and sewing, scientists are finding that endowing a mechanical being with even the most basic human functions is a monumental challenge. —

Greg Freiherr

As a sign of the times, paleontologists themselves have taken to … designing dinosaur robots and displays … —

Malcolm W. Browne

—often used before another noun

a robot dog

a robot servant

compare android, bot entry 1

: a device that automatically performs complicated, often repetitive tasks (as in an industrial assembly line)

the use of robots in car manufacturing

… factories run by robots producing many replicas of one product.—

Morris Philipson

—often used before another noun

For fluid applications, especially in the automotive industry, the robot arm must have extremely flexible movement.—

Harry H. Poole

: a mechanism guided by automatic controls

a robot airplane

: a person who resembles a machine in seeming to function automatically or in lacking normal feelings or emotions

… seems to believe that professors are robots, students are superficial, grade-hungry receptacles …—

Micaela Rubalcava

robotism

ˈrō-ˌbä-ˌti-zəm

-bə-

noun

Did you know?

In 1920, Czech writer Karel Čapek published a play titled R.U.R. Those initials stood for "Rossum's Universal Robots," which was the name of a fictional company that manufactured human-like machines designed to perform hard, dull, dangerous work for people. The machines in the play eventually grew to resent their jobs and rebelled—with disastrous results for humans. During the writing of his play, Čapek consulted with his brother, the painter and writer Josef Čapek, who suggested the name robot for these machines, from the Czech word robota, which means "forced labor." Robot made its way into our language in 1922 when R.U.R. was translated into English.

Examples of robot in a Sentence

The cars are assembled by robots.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Kim Kardashian Shares Adorable Family Photos of Her 4 Kids and Mom Kris Jenner: ‘Life Lately’ In one shot, the robot was positioned beside her in the car while the butterfly-style doors were open, while a second image focused on the reality star's stockings as the robot's arm touched her thigh. —

Becca Longmire, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 MacKinnon is the league’s best player, a hockey robot, who has always been more concerned about winning than feelings. —

Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024 Featured items include Beats (AAPL) headphones, Apple AirPods, robot vacuums, travel luggage, and kids’ tablets, which are all marked down for the event. —

Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024 The iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ is a versatile robot vacuum and mop that effectively cleans a variety of surfaces without wetting carpets, thanks to its retractable mop. —

Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for robot

Word History

Etymology

Czech, from robota compulsory labor; akin to Old High German arabeit trouble, Latin orbus orphaned — more at orphan

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of robot was in 1922

See more words from the same year

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Robot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robot. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

robot

noun

ro·bot ˈrō-ˌbät

: a machine that looks and acts like a human being

: a capable but unfeeling person

: a device that automatically performs tasks that are complicated and often continuously repeated

robotic

rō-ˈbät-ik

adjective

robotically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Etymology

from Czech robot "a machine that looks human and performs dull or dangerous work," from robota "forced labor, work"

Word Origin

In 1923 a play by the Czech author Karel Čapek introduced the word robot to English. The title of the play, R.U.R., stood for "Rossum's Universal Robots," a fictional company that manufactured robots. These humanlike machines were supposed to perform all the hard, dull, and dangerous work for people, but they finally became resentful and rebelled, killing all humans. Čapek formed the word robot from the Czech robota, meaning "forced labor." The play was very popular and influential. As a result, the word robot came to have several meanings, including "a human being who has become brutal and insensitive or machinelike because of overwork and mistreatment." It is used today for machines that may not look human but do perform dangerous or dull work.

Last Updated: 26 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

victuals

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

robot

noun

Did you know?

Examples of robot in a Sentence

Word History

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near robot

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition