Golem

golem   \GOH-lum\   noun
     1 : an artificial being in Hebrew folklore endowed with life 
    *2 : someone or something resembling a golem

Example sentence:
     With the flick of a switch, the scientist brought life to his creation, then
watched with awe as the golem rose from the table.

Did you know?
     The Hebrew ancestor of the word "golem" meant "shapeless mass," and the
original golems started as lumps of clay that were formed into figures and
brought to life by means of a charm or a combination of letters forming a
sacred word. In the Middle Ages, golems were thought to be the perfect
servants; their only fault was that they were sometimes too literal or
mechanical in fulfilling their masters' orders. In the 16th century, the golem
was thought of as a protector of the Jews in times of persecution. But by the
late 1800s, "golem" had acquired a less friendly second sense, referring to a
man-made monster that inspired many of the back-from-the-dead creations of
classic horror fiction.