robot
ROH-bot
Robot (noun) means a machine, often shaped like a person, built to move and perform tasks on its own or under programmed control. Example: “A little robot vacuum glided around the living room, avoiding the furniture.”
noun
1
A machine, often shaped like a person, built to move and perform tasks on its own or under programmed control.
"A little robot vacuum glided around the living room, avoiding the furniture."
"The factory installed robots to weld car parts on the assembly line."
"She built a small robot for her school science fair."
2
A piece of software that automatically carries out tasks online, such as crawling web pages or replying to messages.
"Search engines send a robot to read new pages on the website."
"The chat robot answered customers' questions even after the office had closed."
"A robot scans the site every night to check for broken links."
3
A person who behaves in a stiff, mechanical, or emotionless way.
"After years on the night shift, he moved around like a robot."
"Don't be such a robot; tell us what you really think!"
"He answered every question like a robot, showing no feeling at all."
How to use robot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA machine (or program) that does tasks automatically, sometimes shaped like a person.
Common pairings
build a robot
robot arm
act like a robot
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Word forms
- Plural
- robots
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A little _____ vacuum glided around the living room, avoiding the furniture.
Etymology
From Czech robota, meaning "forced labor," popularized by the 1920 play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek.
Class of 1920
robot joined the language around 1920.
See the full Class of 1920 →
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “robot” mean?
The word “robot” means a machine, often shaped like a person, built to move and perform tasks on its own or under programmed control. In plain terms, a machine (or program) that does tasks automatically, sometimes shaped like a person.
How do you pronounce “robot”?
“Robot” is pronounced ROH-bot (/ˈɹəʊ̯.bɒt/ in IPA).
How do you use “robot” in a sentence?
Here is “robot” used in a sentence: “The factory installed robots to weld car parts on the assembly line.”
What is another word for “robot”?
Words with a similar meaning to “robot” include bot, robo and clanker.
What part of speech is “robot”?
“Robot” is a noun.
Where does the word “robot” come from?
The word “robot” dates back to around 1920. From Czech robota, meaning "forced labor," popularized by the 1920 play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek.
Is “robot” a common word?
“Robot” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “robot” have?
“Robot” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a machine, often shaped like a person, built to move and perform tasks on its own or under programmed control.
What is the difference between a "robot" and a "bot"?
"Bot" is a shortened form of "robot" but usually refers to a piece of software that automatically carries out tasks online, such as crawling web pages or replying to messages. "Robot" more often means a physical machine built to move and perform tasks. In everyday tech use, "bot" is digital and "robot" is physical.
What is the difference between a "robot" and an "android"?
A "robot" is any machine built to perform tasks, whatever its shape. An "android" is specifically a robot designed to look and behave like a human. All androids are robots, but most robots are not androids.
What is the difference between a "robot" and a "cyborg"?
A "robot" is entirely a machine. A "cyborg" is a being that is part biological and part machine, such as a living creature with mechanical parts. The key difference is that a cyborg has a living component.
What is the difference between a "robot" and a "drone"?
A "drone" usually refers to an aircraft or vehicle that is flown remotely or operates autonomously, making it one specific kind of robot. "Robot" is the broader term for any task-performing machine, whether it walks, rolls, or stays in one place.
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