automatic

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. English todayautomatic

Borrowed from New Latin automaticus, from Classical Latin automatum (“automaton”) + -icus (adjectival suffix), from Ancient Greek αὐτόματον (autómaton), neuter of αὐτόματος (autómatos, “self-moving, moving of oneself, self-acting, spontaneous”), from αὐτός (autós, “self, myself”) + μέμαα (mémaa, “to wish eagerly, strive, yearn, desire”). The original pronunciation, apparently with stress on the second syllable, was after the ultimate Greek base.

Words from the same roots