magnetic moment

noun

: a vector quantity that is a measure of the torque exerted on a magnetic system (such as a bar magnet or dipole) when placed in a magnetic field and that for a magnet is the product of the distance between its poles and the strength of either pole

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The ratio between those values is proportional to the electron’s magnetic moment. —

Katrina Miller, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2023 The electron’s spin can be readily rotated by magnetic fields, with its magnetic moment serving as a sort of handle. —

Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2023 By measuring the magnetic moment, scientists are testing the theoretical linchpin of particle physics: the standard model. —

Katrina Miller, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2023 First, most anomalies, in particular the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, would affect Z decays, such as Z bosons turning into a muon and an antimatter muon. —

Andreas Crivellin, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2022 Based on calculations of the magnetic moment from that first run, the scientists observed that the muons wobbled — or precessed — significantly more than theory predicts. —

Stephen Ornes, Discover Magazine, 18 Dec. 2021 Physicists have been measuring the magnetic moment of muons since early experiments at CERN, in Switzerland, in the 1950s. —

Stephen Ornes, Discover Magazine, 18 Dec. 2021 Part of what sets the axial Higgs boson apart from the Higgs boson is its magnetic moment. —

Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 9 June 2022 The atoms in a magnetic material like iron or nickel each have something called a magnetic moment, which is basically a tiny individual magnetic field. —

Quanta Magazine, 11 Nov. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnetic moment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of magnetic moment was in 1865

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Dictionary Entries Near magnetic moment

magnetic mirror

magnetic moment

magnetic needle

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“Magnetic moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnetic%20moment. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

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Medical Definition

magnetic moment

noun

magnetic mo·ment -ˈmō-mənt

: a vector quantity that is a measure of the torque exerted on a magnetic system (as a bar magnet or dipole) when placed in a magnetic field and that for a magnet is the product of the distance between its poles and the strength of either pole