robot

American  

[roh-bot] / ˈroʊ bɒt /

noun

robots plural

1. a machine that resembles a human and does mechanical, routine tasks on command.

2. a person who acts and responds in a mechanical, routine manner, usually subject to another's will; automaton.

3. any machine or mechanical device that operates automatically with humanlike skill.

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adjective

1. operating automatically.

   a robot train operating between airline terminals.

robot British  

/ ˈrəʊbɒt /

noun

1. any automated machine programmed to perform specific mechanical functions in the manner of a man

2. (modifier) not controlled by man; automatic

   a robot pilot

3. a person who works or behaves like a machine; automaton

4. a set of traffic lights

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robot Scientific  

/ rō′bŏt′ /

1. A machine designed to replace human beings in performing a variety of tasks, either on command or by being programmed in advance.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• robotism
  noun
• robot-like
  adjective
• robotic
  adjective
• robotistic
  adjective
• robotlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• robots
  plural

Etymology

Origin of robot

< Czech, coined by Karel Čapek in the play R.U.R. (1920) from the base robot-, as in robota compulsory labor, robotník peasant owing such labor

Explanation

A robot is a mechanical creation that can move or act on its own. Science fiction is full of robots. Also called droids, Cylons, and bots, robots are certainly the stuff of science fiction stories. But there are plenty of real robots out there in the world, using their mechanical smarts to make life easier. There are robots that can vacuum the rug, dance, perform surgery, clean oil spills, and even build cars. The field of robotics is growing all the time. Maybe someday you'll even have that robot butler so many of us have dreamed about.

Example Sentences

The order faced particular backlash when a humanoid robot "monk" took part in an ordination ceremony in May, pledging to "devote" itself to Buddhism.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

While defending the use of the robot as a tool to convey Buddhist teachings, Myojang said the order was mindful of the risks and plans "to establish clearer guidelines about where the boundaries lie".

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

All of it evokes 1950s sci-fi like “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” a sci-fi classic about a spacecraft landing D.C. that features a robot named Gort.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

Robot rentals are becoming available for anything from a day to years for a variety of purposes, from Moxi's hospital deliveries to robot bartenders or autonomous weeders for farms.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026

At that long range, the robot must have looked like a fellow human, but if the man were to come closer, he would see who she really was.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown