Meanings
- uncountableThe science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, and application
There's irony in three of the greatest experts in robotics in the world falling into the same elementary trap, isn't there?
1941 May, Isaac Asimov, “Liar!”, in Astounding Science-Fiction, volume 27, number 3, page 531 more example
While it may take another five to 10 years for humanoid robots to make a real societal impact, they could eventually become the next widely adopted consumer electronics, according to Xi Ning, chair professor of robotics and automation at the University of Hong Kong.
2025 March 25, John Liu, “Elon Musk thinks robots are a $10 trillion business. He’s got some competition from China”, in CNN
Origin
Coined by American science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1941 from robot + -ics by comparison to "physics ... hydraulics, celestial mechanics, and so on" in his short story Liar!.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic رُوبُوتِيَّة, عِلْمُ الرُّوبُوتَات
- رُوبُوتِيَّة (rōbōtiyya)the science and technology of robots
- عِلْمُ الرُّوبُوتَات (ʕilmu r-rōbōtāt)the science and technology of robots
Basque robotika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Bulgarian робо́тика
- робо́тика (robótika)the science and technology of robots
Catalan robòtica
- robòticathe science and technology of robots
Chinese Mandarin 機器人學 /机器人学
- 機器人學 /机器人学 (jīqìrénxué)the science and technology of robots
Czech robotika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Danish robotteknologi
- robotteknologithe science and technology of robots
Dutch robotica
- roboticathe science and technology of robots
Estonian robootika
- robootikathe science and technology of robots
Finnish robotiikka
- robotiikkathe science and technology of robots
French robotique
- robotiquethe science and technology of robots
German Robotik
- Robotikthe science and technology of robots
Greek ρομποτική
- ρομποτική (rompotikí)the science and technology of robots
Hebrew רוֹבּוֹטִיקָה
- רוֹבּוֹטִיקָהthe science and technology of robots
Hindi रोबॉटिक्स
- रोबॉटिक्स (robŏṭiks)the science and technology of robots
Hungarian robotika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Icelandic þjarkafræði
- þjarkafræðithe science and technology of robots
Indonesian robotika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Italian robotica
- roboticathe science and technology of robots
Japanese ロボット工学, ロボティックス
- ロボット工学 (robotto kōgaku)the science and technology of robots
- ロボティックス (robotikkusu)the science and technology of robots
Korean 로봇공학, 로봇학
- 로봇공학 (robotgonghak)the science and technology of robots
- 로봇학 (robothak)the science and technology of robots
Latin ars robotica
- ars roboticathe science and technology of robots
Latvian robotika, robototehnika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
- robototehnikathe science and technology of robots
Lithuanian robototechnika, robotų technika
- robototechnikathe science and technology of robots
- robotų technikathe science and technology of robots
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Persian رباتیک
- رباتیک (robâtik)the science and technology of robots
Polish robotyka
- robotykathe science and technology of robots
Portuguese robótica
- robóticathe science and technology of robots
Romanian robotică
- roboticăthe science and technology of robots
Russian робототе́хника
- робототе́хника (robototéxnika)the science and technology of robots
Slovak robotika
- robotikathe science and technology of robots
Spanish robótica
- robóticathe science and technology of robots
Thai วิทยาการหุ่นยนต์
- วิทยาการหุ่นยนต์ (wít-tá-yaa-gaan-hùn-yon)the science and technology of robots
Turkish robotik
- robotikthe science and technology of robots
Ukrainian робототе́хніка
- робототе́хніка (robototéxnika)the science and technology of robots
Welsh roboteg
- robotegthe science and technology of robots
Cite this entry
robotics. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/robotics
“robotics.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/robotics. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “robotics,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/robotics.
Source: robotics on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.