Etymology

autofocus

A1U1T1O1F4O1C3U1S1

Today it means: A feature of some cameras and other optical systems that allows a correct focus on the subject to be obtained automatically Full definition →

English focus ← New Latin automaticus ← Classical Latin automatum
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  2. Proto-Indo-European*tó-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*autós
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ew
  5. Ancient Greekαὖ (aû)
  6. Ancient Greekτόν (tón)
  7. Ancient Greekαὐτός (autós)
  8. Ancient Greekαὐτο- (auto-)
  9. Proto-Indo-European*men-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*mn̥tós
  11. Proto-Hellenic*mətós
  12. Ancient Greekαὐτόμᾰτος (autómătos)
  13. Ancient Greekαὐτόμᾰτον (autómăton)
  14. Classical Latinautomatum
  15. New Latinautomaticus
  16. Englishautomaticclip.
  17. Englishauto-
  18. Englishfocus
  19. English todayautofocus

From auto- + focus.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.