automata

/ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/

//ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə// noun

"automata" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“automata” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,286 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#32,286
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - plural of automaton

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

automata vs automate
88% similar
automata vs automatic
78% similar
automata vs automated
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for automata
PropertyValue
Headwordautomata
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#32,286
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “automata” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). automata lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for automata is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,286 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "plural of automaton".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for automata, with forms such as "atuomata", "auotmata", and "autmoata". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "automate", "automatic", "automated", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is automata, spelled A-U-T-O-M-A-T-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    plural of automaton

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atuomata,auotmata,autmoata,autoamta,automaat,automatta,autommata,automtaa,auttomata,uatomata

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of automata - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atuomata2auotmata2autmoata2autoamta2automaat2automatta1autommata1automtaa2
Edit distance from "automata"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "automata"?
"automata" is spelled A-U-T-O-M-A-T-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/.
What does "automata" mean?
As a noun, "automata" means: plural of automaton
What words are commonly confused with "automata"?
"automata" is commonly confused with "automate", "automatic", "automated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "automata"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "automata" is /ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "automata" come from?
"automata" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “automata”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-U-T-O-M-A-T-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “automate” - see the side-by-side comparison. automata vs automate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list