robot-like
UK[ˈrəʊbɒt laɪk]US[ˈroʊbɑːt laɪk]
adj
Resembling or characteristic of a robot, especially in being mechanical, rigid, or lacking human emotion or spontaneity.
Morpheme Breakdown
robot
like
robot
robot
like
resembling
Etymology
The word "robot-like" is a modern English compound adjective formed by appending the native English suffix "-like" to the noun "robot." The noun "robot" entered English in the early 20th century from the Czech word "robota," meaning "forced labor" or "drudgery," which was popularized by Karel Čapek's 1920 play "R.U.R." The suffix "-like" derives from the Old English word "gelīc," meaning "having the same form or appearance." The compound's logic is transparent: it directly describes something that possesses the qualities typically associated with a robot, such as mechanical movement, programmed behavior, or a lack of emotional expression, thereby extending the concrete noun into a descriptive adjective of comparison.
Analysis
Structure: robot (robot) + like (resembling)
- robot: Origin: Czech, via English. Functional role: The core noun denoting an automated machine.
- like: Origin: Old English. Functional role: A suffix-forming adjective meaning "having the characteristics of" or "similar to".
Examples
His movements were stiff and robot-like after the long meeting.
She answered the questions in a monotone, robot-like voice.
The automation process was efficient but felt cold and robot-like.