automation

American  

[aw-tuh-mey-shuhn] / ˌɔ təˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum.

2. a mechanical device, operated electronically, that functions automatically, without continuous input from an operator.

3. act or process of automating.

4. the state of being automated.

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automation British  

/ ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the use of methods for controlling industrial processes automatically, esp by electronically controlled systems, often reducing manpower

2. the extent to which a process is so controlled

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proautomation
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of automation

First recorded in 1945–50; autom(atic) ( def. ) + (oper)ation ( def. )

Explanation

Automation means making something automatic, or mechanized. If there's smoke in your house and your smoke detector is set up to "call" the fire department, that's an example of automation. Car companies were the first manufacturers to use assembly lines, where the steps of building a car were divided among workers––and when those jobs started to be done more often by machines then by people, an executive at Ford coined the term automation to describe what was happening.

Related Words

• computerization
• industrialization
• mechanization