Definition of electromagnetism
1
: magnetism developed by a current of electricity
2a
: a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions between charged particles which occur because of their charge and for the emission and absorption of photons, that is about a hundredth the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over atomic and molecular distances
— called also electromagnetic force
— compare gravity sense 3a(2), strong force, weak force
b
: a branch of physical science that deals with the physical relations between electricity and magnetism
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for electromagnetism
The first known use of electromagnetism was in 1821
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