android
noun
an automaton in the form of a human being.
android
American
[an-droid]
/ ˈæn drɔɪd /
noun
-
androids
plural
Android
1
British
/ ˈændrɔɪd /
noun
-
a software package for smartphones, including many application programs
-
a smartphone that uses this software
android
2
British
/ ˈændrɔɪd /
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of android
From the New Latin word androīdēs, dating back to 1720–30. See andr-, -oid
Compare meaning
How does android compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An android is a robot that looks and acts like a human being. Sometimes they have fake skin that looks so real you can’t tell the difference. For all you know, the person sitting next to you is an android. Life’s biggest question: What’s the difference between cyborgs and androids? Cyborgs are humans with robot parts added to them, and androids start as robots and then get designed to look like humans. The Latin root androides literally means “resembling a man,” and androids really know how to blend in. Androids mostly appear in science fiction novels and films, but who knows, maybe you’re friends with an android and you don’t even know it. Yet.
Vocabulary lists containing android
Science Fiction Lingo
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Very Large Expanse of Sea
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But Bettany, whose character Vision is an android attempting to piece together his wiped memories and fragile humanity, had some sage advice.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Hirokazu Kore-eda directs this muddled film about grieving parents who adopt an android copy of their dead son.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
But an android that can do a bit of everything is still years off.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
One of the festival’s big themes seems to be connection: that we’re all stuck on this rock together and, ultimately, the difference between human and android, man and woman, is moot.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
“That’s the sort of slip an android makes. That’s what gives it away.”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Android competitors offer larger inner display areas, but Apple focuses heavily on the quality of the hinge and concealing the crease where the phone folds rather than sheer screen real estate, analysts say.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
The European Commission—the EU’s executive arm—in July issued binding instructions for Google to ensure that rival AI services could access features on Android devices to compete on an equal footing with Gemini.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Alphabet is uniquely positioned across the entire AI tech stack, spanning from its custom chips to distribution surfaces like YouTube and Android.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
In 2024, the DOJ also sued Apple for allegedly making it difficult for customers to switch to devices made by other manufacturers, such as Android.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
“The Android Look was not a good one for me.”
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
The iPhone might be with us until the end of time, or until we ourselves become androids.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Besides Fanning’s, the only other mug copied on the dozens of Weyland-Yutani androids working under Tessa is that of fellow actor Cameron Brown.
From Salon ● Nov. 12, 2025
You know the species because androids have been a mainstay of science fiction since before Isaac Asimov coined the “three laws of robotics” for a novelette published in 1942.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2025
The filmmaker, whose film stars Will Smith as a detective sceptical of seemingly obedient androids, accused Musk of copying his work in a post on X.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2024
“Although naturally the public isn’t told that; they’re not supposed to know that androids are on Earth, in our midst.”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
