Word
autopilot
Phoneticsau·topi·lot
US/ˈɔtoʊˌpaɪɫət/
UK/ˌɔːtəʊpˈaɪlət/
Definition
n. a system that steers a plane or ship without a human pilot. You can also use it to describe doing something without thinking because you have done it many times before.
n. a device or system used to control the path of a vehicle without constant manual intervention. Often used metaphorically to describe a state of performing tasks automatically or without conscious thought.
Examples
“The pilot turned on the autopilot once the plane reached a safe altitude.”
“After working the same night shift for three years, he often found himself driving home on autopilot.”
“Modern aviation relies heavily on sophisticated autopilot systems to maintain precise headings and altitudes, though pilots must remain vigilant to intervene during unexpected turbulence or system failures.”
Examples
simple
“The pilot turned on the autopilot once the plane reached a safe altitude.”
contextual
“After working the same night shift for three years, he often found himself driving home on autopilot.”
complex
“Modern aviation relies heavily on sophisticated autopilot systems to maintain precise headings and altitudes, though pilots must remain vigilant to intervene during unexpected turbulence or system failures.”
Usage
Commonly used in the prepositional phrase 'on autopilot' when referring to habitual or mindless behavior.
Real-World Examples
“The engine vibration reduced and the crew continued the climb on autopilot.” “When the vibrations stopped, the crew continued to climb on autopilot, the report said.” Etymology
From auto- + pilot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/autopilot