Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

auto

1 American  
[aw-toh] / ˈɔ toʊ /

noun

plural

autos

  1. automobile.

adjective

  1. of or relating to automobiles.

    an auto salesman; auto detailing.
auto- 2 American  

  1. a combining form meaning “self,” “same,” “spontaneous,” used in the formation of compound words.

    autograph, autodidact.
auto- 3 American  

  1. a combining form representing automobile in compound words.

    autocade.
auto- 4 American  

  1. a combining form representing automatic in compound words: autoalarm; autofeed; autofocus . Sometimes also taken as an adjective.

    auto enlarger; auto stop control; auto dialer.
auto. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. automatic.

  2. automobile.

  3. automotive.

auto 1 British  
/ ˈɔːtəʊ /

noun

    1. short for automobile

    2. ( as modifier )

      auto parts

  2. informal short for autorickshaw

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
auto- 2 British  

combining form

  1. self; same; of or by the same one

    autobiography

  2. acting from or occurring within; self-caused

    autohypnosis

  3. self-propelling; automatic

    automobile
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of auto1

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; by shortening

Origin of auto-2

< Greek, combining form of autós self

Origin of auto-3

auto

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.

Adoption of the company’s AI tools is rising among customers, particularly for credit reviews, credit monitoring, auto spreading and the locate-and-file capability, which allows for the automated extraction and filing of documents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Strip out the weather rebound and the auto recovery, and the underlying trend in consumer spending probably remains weak, analysts at Pantheon Macroeconomics wrote.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Find insight on Ferrari, Xiaomi EVs, Qantas and more in the latest Market Talks covering the auto and transport sector.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Cox Automotive forecasts a 0.1 percent dip in Toyota's auto sales in the first quarter.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

He had been like that ever since he had tried to stop Alex in the auto junkyard.

From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz

Definitions 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.