Quick Definition
αὐτόματος, η, ον Adj of its own accord
Strong's Definition
from 846 and the same as 3155; self-moved ("automatic"), i.e. spontaneous
KJV Usage: of own accord, of self
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -η, -ον | αὐτός
1 It is difficult to determine whether αὐτόματος focuses primarily upon an event taking place because of the action of an object itself or whether the implication is that there is no evident cause.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
αὐτόματος, -ov, and -7, -ov, (fr. αὐτός and μέμαα to desire eagerly, fr. obsol. theme pdw), moved by one’s own inc pulse, or acting withvut the instigation or intervention of another, (fr. Hom. down) ; often of the earth producing plants of itself, and of the plants themselves and fruits growing without culture; [on its adverbial use cf. W. 8 54, 2]: Mk. iv.28; (Hdt. 2, 94; 8, 138; Plat. polit. p. 212 a.; [Theophr. h. p. 2,1]; Diod. 1, 8, ete. Lev. xxv. 5,11). of gates opening of their own accord: Acts xii. 10, (so in Hom. Il. 5, 749; Xen. Hell. 6, 4,7; Apoll. Rh. 4, 41; Plut. Timol. 12; Nonn. Dion. 44, 21; [Dion Cass. 44, 17]).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
αὐτόματος automatos 2x
self-excited, acting spontaneously, spontaneous, of his own accord, Mk. 4:8; Acts 12:10*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
αὐτόματος, -ον, and -η, -ον
(etym. doubtful; v. Boisacq, Prellwitz, s.v.), [in LXX, Le 25:5, 11, IV Ki 19:29 (סָפִיחַ), Jos 6:5, Jb 24:24, Wi 17:6*;]
of persons, acting of one's own will.
Of inanimate things and natural agencies, of itself, of its own accord: γῆ, Mk 4:28 (MM, s.v.); πύλη, Ac 12:10.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
αὐτόματος. CPHerm 119 verso +318 (Gallienus). . Ἰαὐτόματοι καὶ [. . . , unfortunately in hiatus. Vettius Valens twice uses the adverb with προβιβάζων (or its passive), “advancing of its own accord.”’ With the use of this word in Mk 488, Abbott (Joh. Voc. p. 54) compares Philo’s description of Isaac the self-taught (αὐτομαθής) i. 571-2 ἔστι δὲ kal τρίτος ὅρος τοῦ αὐτομαθοῦς τὸ ἀναβαῖνον αὐτόματον (that which cometh up of itself). Cf. also Wisd 17°, where with reference to the plague of darkness it is said that no power of the fire or the stars could give the Egyptians light, διεφαίνετο δ᾽ αὐτοῖς μόνον αὐτομάτη πυρὰ φόβου πλήρης, “ but there appeared to them the glimmering of a fire self-kindled, full of fear.” On Jn 1677 αὐτὸς yap ὁ πατὴρ φιλεῖ ὑμᾶς, Field remarks (Woées, p- 104) that αὐτός is here = αὐτόματος z/tro, me non commendanie, and cites Callim. 27. Apol/. 6 αὐτοὶ νῦν κατοχῆες ἀνακλίνεσθε, where the Scholiast has αὐτόματοι.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
αὐτόματος (automatos) — by itself. αὐτό-μᾰτος, η, ον, [Refs 8th c.BC+] and Attic dialect; ος, ον [Refs 8th c.BC+].
1. of persons, acting of one's own will, of oneself, αὐ. δέ οἱ ἦλθε[Refs 8th c.BC+]
2. of inanimate things, self-acting, spontaneous, of the gates of Olympus, αὐτόμαται δὲ πύλαι μύκον οὐρανοῦ[Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the tripods of Hephaistos, which ran of themselves, ὄφρα οἱ αὐτόματοι.. δυσαίατ᾽ ἀγῶνα[Refs 5th c.BC+]marionettes, [Refs 4th c.BC+] assim: generally, spontaneous, βίος[Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. of natural agencies, ὁ ποταμὸς αὐ. ἐπελθών of itself, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of plants, growing of themselves, αὐ. ἐκ τῆς γῆς γίνεται[Refs 5th c.BC+]; of philosophers, αὐ. ἀναφύονται[Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. of events, happening of themselves, without external agency, αὐ. δεσμὰ διελύθη[Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὐ. θάνατος natural death, [Refs 4th c.BC+]not to be accounted for externally, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; without visible cause, accidental, opposed to ἀπὸ πείρης, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. αὐτόματον, τό, accident, τὸ αὐ. αἰτιᾶσθαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῷ αὐ., opposed to τέχνῃ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ Αὐ. personified, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III. adverb -τως, ={ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου}, variant in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of itself, κοχλίας αὐ. βαδίζων[Refs 2nd c.BC+] —also αὐτοματεί or -τί (which see).