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
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A Very Large Expanse of Sea
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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
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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
Now with HBO’s “Lanterns,” she adds an all-powerful galactic android to her acting resume.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
At the end of the 2014 sci-fi movie “Ex Machina,” the AI-powered android named Ava breaks out of the secure facility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Instead of husband President Donald Trump at her side, it was the "Figure 3" android that accompanied Melania down the famous red carpet.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
In .45 of a second an android equipped with such a brain structure could assume any one of fourteen basic reaction-postures.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
For younger motorists, the first move when getting behind the wheel is to override the in-car infotainment system, including the radio, by activating Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026
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
“The Android Look was not a good one for me.”
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
The androids, or synthezoids, here are presented for the most part in human form, which is easier on the eyes, the budget and the actors, and gives them room to act.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
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
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
Since Ellen Ripley survived her first xenomorph encounter way back in 1979, Scott has used this to critique our reliance on technology and our assumed dominance over it through his androids.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2024
“Don’t the androids keep you company? I heard a commercial on—”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
