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Showing results for automatic transmission. Search instead for fibre-optic transmission system.
Synonyms

automatic transmission

American  

noun

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


automatic transmission British  

noun

  1. 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.

See Examples For:

Also, while the eight-speed automatic transmission may feel more familiar, it can’t match a CVT’s overall efficiency.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 11, 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

That potent engine is unfortunately only paired with an automatic transmission.

From Seattle Times Sep. 6, 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

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