autopilot
UK[ˈɔːtəʊˌpaɪlət]US[ˈɔːtoʊˌpaɪlət]
n
A device for automatically steering ships, aircraft, and spacecraft.
n
A state or mode in which someone acts without thinking, like a machine.
Morpheme Breakdown
auto
pilot
auto
self
pilot
steerer
Etymology
The word 'autopilot' is a modern compound, fusing two distinct linguistic streams into a concept of automated control. The first element, 'auto-', derives from the ancient Greek autos, meaning "self, same, by oneself," a root that entered English via Latin and French to signify independent or automatic operation. The second element, 'pilot', has a nautical history, tracing back through French and Italian to a Greek word for a steersman or helmsman. Thus, the literal construction "self-steersman" perfectly captures the device's function: it is a mechanism that performs the role of a human pilot by itself, a logic that extended metaphorically to describe unthinking, routine human behavior.
Analysis
Structure: auto (self) + pilot (steerer)
- auto: From Greek autos meaning "self". A combining form acting as a prefix.
- pilot: From French pilote, from Italian pilota, likely from Medieval Greek pēdōtēs "steersman", from pēdon "oar, rudder". Acts as the root noun.
Examples
The plane flew across the ocean on autopilot.
After years in the job, he performed the tasks on autopilot.
The new car features an advanced autopilot system for highway driving.