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I would like to characterize the action of making a process go automatically instead of doing it manually. The context is computer programming. A programmer may type in 10 pieces of code with only a small item differing across them; or she may create a loop where a single piece is run 10 times with a slight variation; the end result is the same in both cases.

Should I use the words "automate" and "automation", or "automatize" and "automatization" (or yet something else)?

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    The common and idiomatic term is automate. I don't believe I've seen automatize actually used in the wild.
    – Dan Bron
    Sep 25, 2015 at 13:16
  • Merriam Webster defines automatize as " to make (an action) reflexive." It appears you want automate " to run or operate (something, such as a factory or system) by using machines, computers, etc., instead of people to do the work."
    – herisson
    Sep 25, 2015 at 13:21
  • disagreeing with Dan, automatization is a totally valid and useful word. i'd have to think about it but it means, talking about a business, "doing a lot of automating of different systems". agreeing with Dan, I think simply "automate" is right here
    – Fattie
    Sep 25, 2015 at 14:31
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    Just throwing my hat in the ring a few years later. I hear people using "automize"/"automizing"/"automization" often. Granted, English is a sencond language here, but I found it interesting. It is not listed as a word at Meriam Webster, but some other sites list it as a valid replacement for "automate"/"automating"/"automation"
    – Eldamir
    Oct 21, 2019 at 4:35
  • @Eldamir, interesting, thanks.
    – Richard Hardy
    Oct 21, 2019 at 5:47

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According to wikidiff:

Automatization is a related term of automation. As nouns the difference between automation and automatization is that automation is the act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls while automatization is a process of making an action of a higher animal reflexive.

On the other hand, the free dictionary offers a definition for the verb to automatize (= To make automatic) which makes it identical to the verb to automate (= To convert to automatic operation; To control or operate by automation).

In my opinion, although to automatize (or to automatise) is a valid word, to automate (and the noun automation) is far more frequently used according to ngram.

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