automatic transmission

American

noun

an automotive transmission requiring either very little or no manual shifting of gears.

automatic transmission British

noun

a transmission system in a motor vehicle, usually incorporating a fluid clutch, in which the gears change automatically

"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 automatic transmission

First recorded in 1945–50

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.

But its automatic transmission and small engine still left me feeling bored.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

If the test is taken in an automatic car, the driver would get a Category B Auto licence, restricting them to driving to vehicles with automatic transmission only.

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2025

In the U.S., car crash rates and pedestrian fatalities have recently erupted; potential culprits include “car bloat,” smartphones, COVID-related anomie, and the automatic transmission, which frees up motorists’ hands to, say, use TikTok.

From Slate • May 25, 2024

But buyers wanting an automatic transmission or all-weather utility will still find the Golf R a more agreeable option.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 1, 2023

It had automatic transmission and an oversized generator to give me lights inside the cabin if I should need them.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023