antiferromagnetic

American

[an-tee-fer-oh-mag-net-ik, an-tahy-] / ˌæn tiˌfɛr oʊ mægˈnɛt ɪk, ˌæn taɪ- /

adjective

Physics.

noting or pertaining to a substance in which, at sufficiently low temperatures, the magnetic moments of adjacent atoms point in opposite directions.

Other Word Forms

antiferromagnetism

noun

Etymology

Origin of antiferromagnetic

First recorded in 1935–40; anti- + ferromagnetic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In twisted antiferromagnetic layers, magnetic spin patterns are not limited to the small repeating moiré unit cell.

From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026

Large scale spin dynamics simulations back up this interpretation, demonstrating the formation of extended Néel-type antiferromagnetic skyrmions that span multiple moiré cells.

From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026

A particular advantage of the new technique is that it also works with chiral antiferromagnetic materials.

From Science Daily • Nov. 20, 2024

Anderson also studied spin glasses, a type of random magnet that contains both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions.

From Nature • Apr. 30, 2020

Otrokov et al.1 present evidence for such an antiferromagnetic topological insulator.

From Nature • Dec. 17, 2019

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023