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Origin and history of ATM

ATM(n.)

1976, acronym for automated teller machine (1974), which was developed in modern form c. 1968. See teller.

also from 1976

Entries linking to ATM

teller(n.)

late 15c., "one who pays, receives, and counts money," an official government or institutional officer, agent noun from tell (v.) in its secondary sense of "count, enumerate," which is the primary sense of cognate words in many Germanic languages. By 19c. especially of bank clerks who pay or receive money. Related: Tellership.

The agent noun is attested earlier from the other sense of tell; "person who announces or narrates, one who states or communicates something" (late 14c., late 13c. as a surname), also "a preacher; one who talks freely."

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    Trends of ATM

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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    atmosphere
    1630s, atmosphaera (modern form from 1670s), "gaseous envelop surrounding the earth," from Modern Latin atmosphaera, from Greek atmos "vapor, steam" (see atmo-) + sphaira "sphere" (see sphere). In old science, "vaporous air," which was considered a part of the earth and a contami
    machine
    1540s, "structure of any kind," from Middle French machine "device, contrivance," from Latin machina "machine, engine, military machine; device, trick; instrument" (source also of Spanish maquina, Italian macchina), from Greek makhana, Doric variant of Attic mēkhanē "device, tool
    mat
    "an article plaited or woven of more or less coarse natural materials (rushes, straw, twine, etc.) used as bedding, floor-coverings, etc.," Old English matte, from Late Latin matta "mat made of rushes" (4c.), probably from Punic or Phoenician matta (compare Hebrew mittah "bed, co
    cash
    1590s, "money box;" also "money in hand, coin," from French caisse "money box" (16c.), from Provençal caissa or Italian cassa, from Latin capsa "box" (see case (n.2)); originally the money box, but by 18c. the secondary sense of the money in it became sole meaning. Like many fina
    dispenser
    c. 1400, dispensour (mid-12c. as a surname), "one who administers" (a household, etc.), "one in charge of the distribution of goods and services," from Anglo-French dispensour, Old French despenseor, from Latin dispensator, agent noun from dispensare "disburse, administer, distri
    automatic
    "self-acting, moving or acting on its own," 1812 (automatical is from 1580s; automatous from 1640s), from Greek automatos of persons "acting of one's own will;" of things "self-moving, self-acting," used of the gates of Olympus and the tripods of Hephaestus (also "without apparen
    standard
    mid-12c., "distinctive flag or other conspicuous object displayed from a position in battle to serve as a rallying point for a military force," from shortened form of Old French estandart "military standard, banner" (Anglo-French estandard) and in part from Medieval Latin standar

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