Automatic refers to something that operates by itself with minimal human intervention; it can describe processes, responses, or devices functioning without conscious control. It also denotes something habitual or involuntary due to learned patterns. In linguistics or logic, automatic actions occur without deliberate thought, often as a result of conditioning or design.
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US: maintain rhoticity where applicable; UK: non-rhotic ending, keep vowel qualities crisp; AU: subtle vowel flattening and longer vowels in the first syllable; all share primary stress on the third syllable. IPA references: US /ˌɔː.təˈmæ.tɪk/, UK /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪk/, AU /ˌɔː.təˈmæ.tɪk/.
"The door lock is automatic and opens when it detects your approach."
"Most safety systems use automatic shut-off features during emergencies."
"He speaks in an automatic tone when repeating rehearsed lines."
"The camera has an automatic focus mode that adjusts as the subject moves."
Automatic comes from the Late Middle English adjective automaticus, itself from Medieval Latin automaticus, which derives from the Greek automatos meaning 'moving of itself' (derived from auto- 'self' + manthano 'to learn' though this forming is debated; some propose auto- came from Greek ‘autos’ meaning self and ‘matos’ from ‘manthanein’). The concept originally described a self-operating device or process and gradually extended to behaviors or processes that occur without conscious thought. Early uses in English reference to machines and mechanisms performing without human input. The semantic shift towards habitual, reflexive or pre-programmed actions appears in the 19th and 20th centuries with the rise of automation in industry. First known English uses appear in scientific and mechanical context; by the early 20th century, automatic began to denote both machines that function themselves and processes that happen involuntarily.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "automatic" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "automatic" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "automatic"
-tic sounds
-nic sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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US/UK/AU share /ˌɔː.təˈmæ tɪk/ in non-rhotic? Actually: /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪk/ in many accents. Primary stress on the second syllable ‘mat’ (tuh-MAT-ik). Break it into syllables: /au/ as in 'or', /tə/ as in 'tuh', /mæ/ as in 'mat', /kɪk/ or /kɪk/? Wait: final is /-ɪk/. So: /ˌɔː.təˈmæ tɪk/ or /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪk/. Ensure the middle vowel is a schwa. Practice: 'aw-tuh-MAT-ik'.
People often misplace stress, saying au-TO-mat-ic or a-u-TOM-atic. Also the middle vowel may reduce to an unclear schwa; ensure the /tə/ is unstressed with a clear /tə/. Finally, the final -atic is often reduced to -tick or -tIK; keep the final /ɪk/ clearly. Correct approach: /ˌɔː.təˈmæ.tɪk/ with stress on /mæ/ and a distinct final /ɪk/.
US: rhoticity is strong; /ˌɔː.təˈmæ.tɪk/ with clear /ɹ/? No rhotic? In American, the first /ɔː/ is typically /ɔɑː/ blended; UK: non-rhotic, /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪk/ with a sharper /ˈmæt/; AU: similar to UK but with Australian vowel flattening and connected speech; the /ɔː/ can be closer to /ɒ/ or /ɔ/, and the final /ɪk/ may be shortened.
The challenge lies in the mid-stress position and the sequence /təˈmæt/; avoid a heavy first vowel and maintain a clear /t/ before /æ/. The /t/ can be flapped or glottalized in some dialects; keep a crisp /t/ and a short /æ/. Also the final /ɪk/ should be distinct rather than merging with /t/.
Does automatic have a silent letter? No; all letters contribute to sound, but the middle syllable /tə/ is often reduced; the key is ensuring the /ˈmæ/ is strong and not swallowed.
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