Plural of automaton; self-operating machines or mechanical devices that perform predetermined actions without continuous human control.
Greek plural form of 'automaton,' derived from 'auto-' (self) + 'matos' (moving, thinking). Used in English since the 16th century for mechanical devices.
Ancient Greeks described automata in their mythology—like Talos, the bronze giant who guarded Crete—but real automata were built by engineers who created water clocks and mechanical theaters in Alexandria.
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