Magellan

American  

[muh-jel-uhn] / məˈdʒɛl ən /

noun

1. Ferdinand, c1480–1521, Portuguese navigator: discoverer of the Strait of Magellan 1520 and the Philippines 1521.

2. Strait of Magellan, Also Straits of Magellan a strait near the southern tip of South America between the mainland of Chile and Tierra del Fuego and other islands, connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. 360 miles (580 kilometers) long.

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Magellan ¹ British  

/ məˈɡɛlən /

noun

1. a strait between the mainland of S South America and Tierra del Fuego, linking the S Pacific with the S Atlantic. Length: 600 km (370 miles). Width: up to 32 km (20 miles)

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Magellan ² British  

/ məˈɡɛlən /

noun

1. Ferdinand. Portuguese name Fernão de Magalhães. ?1480–1521, Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain. He commanded an expedition of five ships that set out to sail to the East Indies via the West. He discovered the Strait of Magellan (1520), crossed the Pacific, and reached the Philippines (1521), where he was killed by natives. One of his ships reached Spain (1522) and was therefore the first to circumnavigate the world

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Other Word Forms

• Magellanic
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Magellan

“Will offshore wind exist in California and the United States?” asked Jim Lanard, co-founder and chief executive of developer Magellan Wind.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

“You probably don’t need supersophistication if you have $500,000 or less,” said Joe Lukacs, an adviser coach and founder of Magellan Network.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026

They used the Gemini South telescope on Cerro Pachón in Chile, along with the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-meter telescope and the 6.5 meter Magellan Telescopes.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 24, 2026

As new observatories such as the Giant Magellan Telescope prepare to directly image Earth-like planets around nearby stars, distinguishing between real planets and temporary dust clouds will become increasingly important.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 1, 2026

Chief Lapu Lapu led a rebellion, ultimately killing Magellan on April 27, 1521.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly