Etymology

autopilot

A1U1T1O1P3I1L1O1T1

Today it means: A mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. Full definition →

English pilot ← New Latin automaticus ← Classical Latin automatum
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The story

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

From auto- + pilot.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.