automat/ˈɔtəmæt/EtymologyBorrowed from German Automat, as the system was originally developed in Germany in the late 19th c. Doublet of automaton.nounA vending machine for food.A cafeteria consisting of vending machines.“People from all levels of society ate in Automats at least occasionally. Movies often cast their cosmopolitan stars dropping coins in Horn & Hardart's slots, and tourists felt compelled to visit an Automat.”