autopilot
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of autopilot
Explanation
Autopilot is a system that controls the course of an airplane or ship. If the captain of a ship is using autopilot, she can take a break from manning the controls herself. When a plane is on autopilot, it's not exactly flying itself, but it's set to maintain a course or altitude while the pilot concentrates on other details of operating the airplane. Autopilot is short for automatic pilot, and the first such system for aircraft was invented in 1912. The nickname came later, in the 1930s. The slang meaning of autopilot is "out of habit," as when a sleep deprived worker goes through his whole day on autopilot.
Vocabulary lists containing autopilot
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: auto
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!
One of the Boys
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!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for July 13–July 19, 2025
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.
The 40-year-old from Abergavenny said that even though he was off-duty his training and life-saving skills kicked in and he acted on "autopilot".
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
The drone continued toward the target on autopilot, but there was no way to evade potential obstacles along the way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
The sector’s stock are on autopilot and earnings won’t control their long-term flight path.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
But how long is too long to leave your retirement plan on autopilot in a target-date fund?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
The placid voice of the autopilot welcomed us aboard, then told us to strap in and prepare for takeoff.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
