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noun Common

android

AN-droyd

Android (noun) means a robot built to look and move like a human. Example: “The film features an android that can pass for a real person.”

noun
1
A robot built to look and move like a human.
"The film features an android that can pass for a real person."
name
1
Android, a mobile operating system developed by Google, used on many smartphones and tablets.
"She switched from an iPhone to an Android phone last year."

How to Use Android

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a humanlike robot in fiction, or the Google-made operating system that competes with Apple's iOS.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
android phone android app humanoid android

Word Forms

more android comparative, androids plural, Androids plural, most android superlative

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Test yourself on “android” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The film features an _____ that can pass for a real person.

Etymology

From New Latin androides, built from Greek andros ("man") plus a suffix meaning "form" or "shape" — literally "man-shaped."

Origin: New Latin

Related Words

Rhymes for android

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “android” mean?

The word “android” means a robot built to look and move like a human. In plain terms, either a humanlike robot in fiction, or the Google-made operating system that competes with Apple's iOS.

How do you pronounce “android”?

“Android” is pronounced AN-droyd (/ˈænˌdɹɔɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “android” in a sentence?

Here is “android” used in a sentence: “The film features an android that can pass for a real person.”

What part of speech is “android”?

Depending on how it is used, “android” can be a noun and a name.

Where does the word “android” come from?

The word “android” comes from New Latin. From New Latin androides, built from Greek andros ("man") plus a suffix meaning "form" or "shape" — literally "man-shaped.".

Is “android” a common word?

“Android” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “android” have?

“Android” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a robot built to look and move like a human.

What is the difference between an android and a robot?

'Robot' is the broad term for any machine that can carry out tasks automatically, and most robots look nothing like people. An android is a specific type of robot deliberately built to resemble a human in appearance and movement. So every android is a robot, but very few robots are androids.

What is the difference between an android and a droid?

'Android' is the precise term for a robot made to look and move like a human. 'Droid' is an informal, shortened word for robot popularised by science fiction, especially Star Wars, and it doesn't imply a human form. A droid can be any shape, while an android is specifically humanlike.

What is the difference between an android and a cyborg?

An android is entirely artificial, a machine designed to look human. A cyborg, by contrast, is part living organism and part machine, such as a person fitted with mechanical or electronic body parts. The key difference is that androids are fully built, whereas cyborgs begin as living beings.

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