robotics
Americannoun
noun
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the science or technology of designing, building, and using robots
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another name for robot dancing
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of robotics
Explanation
Robotics is the study of robots, or machines that are designed to do certain jobs. If you're fascinated with robots, you might want to study robotics in college. Robotics, the branch of science that studies the technology and uses of robots, involves various kinds of engineering and computer programming. While a robot is defined as a machine that can be programmed to do a job, many people interested in robotics (especially science fiction fans) think of them as a mechanical replacement for a human. Robotics comes from robot, from the Czech robotiti, "work or drudge."
Vocabulary lists containing robotics
Science Fiction Lingo
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Workshop 5, Part 1
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This Week in Words: Current Event Vocabulary for October 28–November 3, 2023
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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 medical robotics group maintained its growth forecast for the use of its Da Vinci robot, disappointing investors who expected the company to raise its estimate, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The original version of Atlas, reliant on heavy hydraulics and tethered to a cable, was unveiled by Boston Dynamics more than a decade ago as part of a U.S. military robotics competition for search-and-rescue operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Morgan Stanley projected annual bearings sales tied to robotics will rise from about 200 million units in 2025 to more than 40 billion units by 2050.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Amentum holds contracts in a range of sectors including space exploration, national security, robotics, and environmental remediation; and in April 2026 took over the contract for an ICE facility in Texas, Camp East Montana.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
As Sam Macdonald, the president of the underwater robotics company Deep Trekker, has stated, “The technologies available now, even compared to five or six years ago, are incredible.”
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions 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.
