What does "robot" mean?
A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour.
Robot
/ˈɹəʊ.bɒt/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour.
- Grammar: robot is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: automaton, android, androids, automate.
- Useful contrasts: hand operate, human, human being.
- Usage evidence: It only shows you're not a robot.
How to use "robot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "robot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "robot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "robot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "robot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "robot" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "automaton" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "robot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A system of serfdom used in Central Europe, under which a tenant's rent was paid in forced labour. historical, uncountable
"“I say again, down with the robot!—he is a dog who yields it!”"
- 2 An intelligent mechanical being designed to look like a human or other creature, and usually made from metal.
"Young Rossum invented a worker with a minimum amount of requirements. He had to simplify him. He rejected everything that did not contribute directly to the progress of work—everything that makes man more expensive. In fact, he rejected man and made the Robot. My dear Miss Glory, the Robots are not people. Mechanically they are more perfect than we are, they have an enormously developed intelligence, but they have no soul."
- 3 A habitual poster on the /r9k/ board on 4chan; a member of the /r9k/ community. Internet
"One anonymous message addressed to "fellow robots" hoped readers would have "an enjoyable Elliot Rodger day"—a reference to the shooter who killed six near a Santa Barbara university last year."
- 4 a mechanism that can move automatically wordnet
- 5 A machine built to carry out some complex task or group of tasks by physically moving, especially one which can be programmed.
"We have a robot in the house that does the vacuuming."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A bot, software designed to perform a task.
"Clifton Sellers attended a Zoom meeting last month where robots outnumbered humans."
- 7 A person who does not seem to have any emotions or individuality. figuratively
"Straight society tries to change us by several means. Most of the time, it is mental torture, though physical abuse is not uncommon. We are programmed to be straight starting from the day we are born, and every action, word, and feeling must conform to the straight image. If we DO decide to be free rather than to be robots, here are some of the consequences."
- 8 A traffic light (from earlier robot policeman). South-Africa
- 9 A theodolite which follows the movements of a prism and can be used by a one-man crew.
- 10 A style of dance popular in disco in which the dancer imitates the stiff movements of a stereotypical android robot.
Antonyms
Example
"It only shows you're not a robot."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "robot"?
Common synonyms include: automaton, android, androids, automate, automatic, automatons.
How do you use "robot" in a sentence?
It only shows you're not a robot.
How do you pronounce "robot"?
Pronounced /ˈɹəʊ.bɒt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From German Robot, from a West Slavic language, ultimately related to Etymology 2, below.
Etymology 2
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃erbʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃órbʰos Proto-Balto-Slavic *árbas Proto-Slavic *orbъ Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Balto-Slavic *-éitei Proto-Slavic *-iti Proto-Slavic *orbiti Proto-Indo-European *-otéh₂ Proto-Balto-Slavic *-atā́ˀ Proto-Slavic *-ota Proto-Slavic *orbota Old Czech robota Czech robota Czech robotbor. English robot Borrowed from Czech robot, from robota (“drudgery, servitude”). Coined in the 1920 science-fiction play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek after having been suggested to him by his brother Josef. Ultimately a cognate with Old English earfoþe and German Arbeit; see dialectal erf. Doublet of etymology 1. Related to English orphan, but with a -t- suffix from Proto-Slavic instead of the -an- from Ancient Greek. Compare Polish robotnik and Russian работник (rabotnik, “worker”), sometimes mistakenly cited as the direct source of the English word.
Etymology 3
Referencing the origin of the name of the 4chan imageboard /r9k/ (created in 2008), so-called because it implements the ROBOT9000 algorithm by Randall Munroe to prevent the reposting of content. Possibly overlapping with the sense of robot (“a person who does not seem to have any emotions”), alluding to autism, due to the prevalence of personal stories describing awkward or embarrassing situations on the board.