4 syllables: Au, to, ma, ton. Stress on to.
aw-TAH-muh-tahn
/ɔˈtɑməˌtɑn/
Automaton is pronounced aw-TAH-muh-tahn (/ɔˈtɑməˌtɑn/). It has four syllables (Au-to-ma-ton), with the stress on "to". Automaton is a noun referring to a mechanically operated device that imitates human motion or behavior, often attributed to an unreal, robotic figure. It can also describe a person who acts like a machine, showing little emotion or spontaneity. The term emphasizes repetitive, programmed actions rather than conscious thought. Typically used in literary, technical, or critical contexts.
nounAutomaton is a noun referring to a mechanically operated device that imitates human motion or behavior, often attributed to an unreal, robotic figure. It can also describe a person who acts like a machine, showing little emotion or spontaneity. The term emphasizes repetitive, programmed actions rather than conscious thought. Typically used in literary, technical, or critical contexts.
"The antique theater featured a brass automaton that moved its gears with quiet, deliberate timing."
"Researchers designed an automaton to mimic the gestures of a pianist—precise, repetitive, and oddly lifelike."
"To the crowd, the supervisor seemed an automaton, performing tasks with robotic efficiency."
Pronounce as /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ən/ (US: /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ən/; UK: /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.tɒn/; AU: /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.tən/). The emphasis lands on the third syllable: a‑TO‑ma‑ton, with a light, unstressed first syllable. Start with a broad open-mid back vowel for /ɔː/, then a schwa-like /ə/ in the second syllable, a clear /æ/ in /mæt/, and end with /ən/ or /ən/. Audio resources: you can listen to examples via Pronounce or Forvo to hear variations in real speakers.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress, producing /ɔː/ too short and merging the vowels in the middle, and saying /tæ/ instead of /mæ/ due to quick enunciation. Another frequent slip is pronouncing the final /n/ as a nasalized vowel. Correction tips: place primary stress on the third syllable /ˈmæt/, keep /ɔː/ as a long open back vowel, use a short clear /t/ between /ə/ and /mæt/, and finish with a crisp /ən/.
In US English, the sequence is often /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ən/ with a rhotic whole-word influence, the /t/ clearly released. UK English commonly renders it /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.tɒn/, with a slightly closed /ɒ/ in the final syllable and a less pronounced /r/ influence. Australian English tends to align with UK for the final syllable, /ˌɔː.təˈmeɪ.tən/, with a softer /ə/ in the second syllable and a flatter /æ/ in /mæt/. Listen to native samples for nuance.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm and the shift from an /ɔː/ onset to a stressed /ˈmæt/ vowel cluster, which requires careful articulation of a mid-back vowel followed by a short /æ/. The sequence /təˈmæt/ involves a quick, lightly reduced second syllable and a heavy final syllable that can tempt learners to reduce the /t/ or /ən/. Mastery requires steady tempo and precise tongue position for each segment.
Automaton includes a rare sequence of a unstressed schwa /ə/ in the second syllable followed by a stressed /mæt/ cluster, which can be challenging for non-native speakers. The /t/ is typically a clean alveolar stop with a crisp release before the /mæ/ or /meɪ/ depending on accent. Focusing on the transition from /tə/ to /mæt/ helps ensure natural rhythm and avoids a clipped or over-articulated second syllable.
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Automaton derives from the ancient Greek word automa, meaning ‘self-acting’ or ‘self-moving,’ from the root auto- ‘self’ and -ma, a suffix signifying result or action. The term entered English via late Latin and French adaptations in the 17th–18th centuries, resonating with early modern fascination with mechanical marvels and human-like devices. The first known English uses appear in discussions of automata and automaton figures in clocks and wind-up toys, where the word signified a self-operating mechanism that could impersonate human movement. Over time, automaton broadened to denote any mechanical creature or person who performs actions with mechanical precision, and later took on abstract senses in literature to critique automation and dehumanization. The word has persisted in both technical and literary registers, often carrying connotations of artificial intelligence, procedural repetition, or the uncanny sense of life generated by gears rather than flesh.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Automaton" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Automaton"
-ton sounds
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