- automatic (n.)
- "automatic weapon," 1902, from automatic (adj.). Meaning "motorized vehicle with automatic transmission" is from 1949.
- automatic (adj.)
- "self-acting, moving or acting on its own," 1812, from Greek automatos, used of the gates of Olympus and the tripods of Hephaestus (also "without apparent cause, by accident"), from autos "self" (see auto-) + matos "thinking, animated" (see automaton). Of involuntary animal or human actions, from 1748, first used in this sense by English physician and philosopher David Hartley (1705-1757). In reference to a type of firearm, from 1877; specifically of machinery that imitates human-directed action from 1940.
- semi-automatic (adj.)
- 1853, from semi- + automatic (adj.). In reference to firearms, 1889.
- automatically (adv.)
- 1834, "involuntarily, unconsciously;" see automatic + -ly (2).
- automat (n.)
- "automated cafeteria," 1903, probably from automatic.
- automation (n.)
- 1948, in the manufacturing sense, coined by Ford Motor Co. Vice President Delmar S. Harder, from automatic + -ion. Earlier (1838) was automatism, which meant "quality of being automatic" in the classical sense.
- Instamatic
- 1962, proprietary name (reg. Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y.) for a type of self-loading camera, from instant + automatic.
- thermostat (n.)
- automatic instrument for regulating temperature, 1831, from thermo- + -stat.
- Luger (n.)
- type of German automatic pistol, 1904, from Georg Luger (1849-1923), Austrian-born firearms expert.
- pom-pom (n.)
- "Maxim automatic gun," 1899, of imitative origin, soldiers' slang from the Boer War. For the ornamental tuft, see pompom.
- thermograph (n.)
- "automatic self-registering thermometer," 1881, from thermo- + -graph "instrument for recording; something written." Related: Thermographic.
- automatize (v.)
- 1837, "to make into an automaton;" see automaton + -ize. Meaning "to make automatic" attested by 1952. Related: Automatized; automatizing.
- automate (v.)
- "to convert to automatic operation," 1954, back-formation from automated (q.v.). Ancient Greek verb automatizein meant "to act of oneself, to act unadvisedly." Related: Automating.
- mechanical (adj.)
- early 15c., "of or pertaining to machines," from mechanic (adj.) + -al (1); of persons or human actions, "resembling machines, automatic" it is from c. 1600. Related: Mechanically. Mechanical-minded is recorded from 1820.
- Toyota
- Japanese automaker, begun 1930s as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, named for the family name of the founder. There seems to be no one accepted explanation for the change from -d- to -t-.
- canned (adj.)
- 1859, "put up in a can," past participle adjective from can (v.2). Figuratively, of music, from 1904, originally a contemptuous term (associated with John Philip Sousa) for music played by automatic instruments.
- self-
- word forming element indicating "oneself," also "automatic," from Old English use of self (pron.) in compounds, such as selfbana "suicide," selflice "self-love, pride, vanity, egotism," selfwill "free will."
- laundromat (n.)
- "automatic coin-operated public laundry," 1946, originally (1942) a proprietary name by Westinghouse for a type of automatic washing machine; from laundry + ending probably suggested by automat. Earlier words for public clothes-washing places in U.S. were washateria (1935), laundrette (1945). Launderette is from 1947. The Westinghouse machine was popular after World War II and was available with coin chutes and timers.
- Parabellum (n.)
- proprietary name for a type of automatic firearm, 1904 (Mauser & Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken), from Latin phrase si vis pacem, para bellum, from para, imperative of parare "to prepare" (see para- (2)) + bellum "war" (see bellicose).
- override (v.)
- Old English oferridan "to ride across," from ofer "over" (see over) + ridan "to ride" (see ride (v.)). Originally literal, of cavalry, etc. Figurative meaning "to set aside arrogantly" is from 1827. The mechanical sense "to suspend automatic operation" is attested from 1946. As a noun in this sense from 1946. Related: Overrode; overriding; overridden.
- squad (n.)
- 1640s, "small number of military men detailed for some purpose," from French esquade, from Middle French escadre, from Spanish escuadra or Italian squadra "battalion," literally "square," from Vulgar Latin *exquadra (see square (n.)). Before the widespread use of of automatic weapons, infantry troops tended to fight in a square formation to repel cavalry or superior forces. Extended to sports 1902, police work 1905.
- LP
- 1948, abbreviation of long-playing phonograph record.
The most revolutionary development to hit the recording industry since the invention of the automatic changer is the Long Playing record, which can hold an entire 45-minute symphony or musical-comedy score on a single 12-inch disk. ... The disks, released a few weeks ago by Columbia Records and made of Vinylite, have phenomenally narrow grooves (.003 of an inch). They are played at less than half the speed of the standard old-style records. ["Life" magazine, July 26, 1948]
- taxi (n.)
- 1907, shortening of taximeter cab (introduced in London in March 1907), from taximeter "automatic meter to record the distance and fare" (1898), from French taximètre, from German Taxameter (1890), coined from Medieval Latin taxa "tax, charge."
An earlier English form was taxameter (1894), used in horse-drawn cabs. Taxi dancer "woman whose services may be hired at a dance hall" is recorded from 1930. Taxi squad in U.S. football is 1966, said to be from a former Cleveland Browns owner who gave his reserves jobs with his taxicab company to keep them paid and available ["Dictionary of American Slang"], but other explanations ("short-term hire" or "shuttling back and forth" from the main team) seem possible.
- turn (n.)
- c. 1200, "action of rotating," from Anglo-French tourn (Old French torn, tour), from Latin tornus "turning lathe;" also partly from turn (v.). Meaning "an act of turning, a single revolution or part of a revolution" is attested from late 15c. Sense of "place of bending" (in a road, river, etc.) is recorded from early 15c. Meaning "beginning of a period of time" is attested from 1853 (as in turn-of-the-century, from 1921 as an adjectival phrase).
Sense of "act of good will" is recorded from c. 1300. Meaning "spell of work" is from late 14c.; that of "an individual's time for action, when these go around in succession" is recorded from late 14c. The automatic automobile turn-signal is from 1915. Turn-sick "dizzy," is attested from early 15c. Phrase done to a turn (1780) suggests meat roasted on a spit. The turn of the screw (1796) is the additional twist to tighten its hold, sometimes with reference to torture by thumbscrews.