magnetic tape

noun

: a thin ribbon (as of plastic) coated with a magnetic material on which information (such as sound or television images) may be stored

Examples of magnetic tape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That's a huge improvement over existing magnetic tape and hard drives used for archiving data, which are good for only up to a decade at the most. New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2026 For example, most digital archives are currently saved on magnetic tape, which only lasts about 30 years. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026 Optical storage libraries are being sold as an alternative to magnetic tape storage and with the technologies being introduced by numerous startup optical storage startups, this use could increase. Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 While standard magnetic tape must be replaced every 7-10 years, this synthetic DNA is engineered to be permanent. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for magnetic tape

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnetic tape was in 1937

Cite this Entry

“Magnetic tape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnetic%20tape. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

magnetic tape

noun
: a thin ribbon (as of plastic) coated with a magnetic material on which information (as sound or television images) may be stored

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