chatbot

American

[chat-bot] / ˈtʃætˌbɒt /

noun

Digital Technology.

a computer program designed to respond with conversational or informational replies to verbal or written messages from users.

chatbot British

/ ˈtʃætˌbɒt /

noun

a computer program in the form of a virtual e-mail correspondent that can reply to messages from computer users

"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 chatbot

First recorded in 1990–95; chat ( def. ) + bot ¹ ( def. )

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.

Chatbot DeepSeek is already used in hundreds of Chinese hospitals, according to one study, and Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University runs a hospital it says is designed to use AI in almost all its processes.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Chinese AI models currently rank at or near the top in every task from coding to video generation, with the exception of search, according to Chatbot Arena, a popular crowdsourced ranking platform.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

Chatbot platform Character.ai is overhauling the way it works for teenagers, promising it will become a "safe" space with added controls for parents.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2024

And the ongoing integration of AI into both Microsoft's Bing and Google Search suggests that Dr. Google is already well on its way to being replaced by Dr. Chatbot.

From Salon • Sep. 14, 2023

And the ongoing integration of AI into both Microsoft’s Bing and Google Search suggests that Dr. Google is already well on its way to being replaced by Dr. Chatbot.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2023

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