What does android mean?
An android is a robot constructed to resemble a human being, typically sharing our outward form — a face, limbs, and often skin-like surfaces — while remaining entirely artificial. The word derives from the Greek roots 'andr-' (man) and '-oid' (resembling), and it entered English centuries before any such machine existed. In everyday speech, androids are strongly associated with science fiction, where they appear as servants, companions, or unsettlingly lifelike figures that raise questions about identity and consciousness. Since the early twenty-first century the capitalized word Android has also named Google's widely used mobile operating system, so the term now appears both in engineering contexts and on consumer devices. Real-world androids remain experimental — humanoid robots used in research, exhibitions, and customer service — but the concept continues to fascinate precisely because it blurs the line between machine and human. Distinguishing an android from related terms matters: unlike a cyborg, which combines living tissue with technology, an android is wholly artificial, and unlike a generic robot, it must bear human form.
A robot made to resemble a human being in appearance and behavior.
"The museum's android greeted each guest with a polite nod."
Carries strong science-fiction connotations; sometimes used loosely for any humanoid robot.
(Capitalized) A trademarked mobile operating system developed by Google, based on a modified Linux kernel.
"The app is available for both iOS and Android."
Always capitalized in this sense; functions chiefly as a proper noun or attributive modifier ('an Android device').
The standard plural applies only to the common-noun sense (humanlike robots); the trademark sense 'Android' typically appears singular or as a modifier.
"The film's androids were nearly indistinguishable from their human creators."
The word 'android' was coined centuries before science fiction existed — from Greek roots meaning simply 'man-like' — long before robots were ever built.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of android
The word 'android' comes from Modern Latin 'androides', itself derived from the Greek roots 'aner'/'andros' (man) and '-oid' (having the form of), so it literally means 'man-shaped'. It appeared in English usage around the mid-eighteenth century in discussions of clockwork automata, well over a century before the word 'robot' was coined in 1920 by Karel Čapek's play R.U.R. Cognates sharing the Greek root include 'androgynous', 'polyandry', and 'misandry'. The capitalized use of 'Android' for Google's operating system dates to 2005–2008, when the company acquired Android Inc. and launched the platform.
How android is actually used
As a common noun, 'android' refers to humanlike robots and carries strong science-fiction connotations. When written with a capital letter as 'Android', it denotes Google's mobile operating system. In fiction, the plural 'androids' is standard; the term should not be applied to machines lacking humanoid form.
Easily confused with android
An android is an entirely artificial, mechanical being resembling a human, whereas a cyborg is a living human enhanced with robotic or electronic parts.
A robot is any automated machine regardless of appearance, while an android specifically resembles a human being.