autokinetic
|au-to-ki-net-ic|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtoʊkɪˈnɛtɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəʊkɪˈnɛtɪk/
self-moving
Etymology
'autokinetic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'autokinetos,' where 'auto-' meant 'self' and 'kinetos' meant 'moved' or 'set in motion'.
'autokinetic' changed from the Greek word 'autokinetos' and passed into Neo-Latin/technical Latin forms before being adopted into modern English as 'autokinetic'.
Initially, it meant 'self-moving' (literally 'moving by itself'), but over time it also came to be used specifically for the perceptual phenomenon known as the 'autokinetic effect' (apparent motion of a stationary light).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or caused by autokinesis — the apparent movement of a stationary object (often a point of light) when viewed in a dark or featureless visual field.
Observers reported an autokinetic perception of the star in the darkened room.
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Adjective 2
having the capacity for self-directed movement; self-moving (used in biological or mechanical contexts).
Under the microscope the cells showed autokinetic activity.
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Last updated: 2025/11/26 08:58