noun
autopilot
AW-toh-peye-luht
noun
1
A system that automatically steers a vehicle, aircraft, or ship without a person actively controlling it.
"The pilot switched to autopilot once the plane reached cruising altitude."
2
A mental state of doing something automatically, without actively thinking about it.
"By the third hour of the commute, she was driving on autopilot."
How to Use Autopilot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething (a system or a person) running on its own, without conscious steering.
Common pairings
on autopilot
switch to autopilot
engage the autopilot
Word Forms
autopiloted past tense, autopilots plural, autopilots singular
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The pilot switched to _____ once the plane reached cruising altitude.
Etymology
A blend of auto- ("self") and pilot, coined for the mechanical device that steers a craft without a human at the controls.