magnet

mag·net

noun \ˈmag-nət\

Definition of MAGNET

1

a : lodestone

b : a body having the property of attracting iron and producing a magnetic field external to itself; specifically : a mass of iron, steel, or alloy that has this property artificially imparted

2

: something that attracts <a box-office magnet>

Examples of MAGNET

1. <the giant theme park is a magnet for tourists to the area>

Origin of MAGNET

Middle English magnete, from Anglo-French, from Latin magnet-, magnes, from Greek magnēs (lithos), literally, stone of Magnesia, ancient city in Asia Minor

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MAGNET

Synonyms

attraction, draw, lodestone (also loadstone)

Related Words

capital, center, cynosure, epicenter, mecca, pole, polestar; allure, allurement, bait, enticement, fascination, lure, temptation, turn-on; appeal, call; incentive, inducement, persuasion, spur, stimulus; curiosity, sight(s), spectacle

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

mag·net

noun \ˈmag-nət\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of MAGNET

: a body having the property of attracting iron and producing a magnetic field external to itself; specifically : a mass of iron, steel, or alloy that has this property artificially imparted

magnet

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Magnets and their associated magnetic field lines. A permanent magnet (such as a bar or disk …—© Merriam-Webster Inc.

Any material capable of attracting iron and producing a magnetic field outside itself. By the end of the 19th century, all known elements and many compounds had been tested for magnetism, and all were found to have some magnetic property. However, only three elements—iron, nickel, and cobalt—exhibit ferromagnetism. See also compass, electromagnet.