automatic
Definitions
Operating by itself without direct human control
自动的，自行运作的
Done without conscious thought; instinctive
无意识的，下意识的
An automatic machine, gun, or car with automatic transmission
自动装置；自动手枪；自动挡汽车
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedauto- (self) + mat (willing, driven) + -ic (adjective) = 'acting of its own will.' Something automatic does its job with no human pushing it. The same idea jumped from machines to the mind: an automatic response fires with no conscious decision behind it.
Root mat still carries 5 more wordsUsage Guide
- Machines (literal): automatic door, automatic transmission — runs without a person.
- Mind (figurative): an automatic reaction/response happens without thinking.
- Cars: "an automatic" (noun) = a car with automatic transmission, the opposite of "a manual."
Example Sentences
- 1.
The doors are automatic, so they open as you walk toward them.
- 2.
Saying "bless you" after a sneeze has become almost automatic for me.
- 3.
She prefers driving an automatic to a manual in city traffic.