Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

electromagnet

[ih-lek-troh-mag-nit]
See more synonyms for electromagnet on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a device consisting of an iron or steel core that is magnetized by electric current in a coil that surrounds it.
Show More

Origin of electromagnet

First recorded in 1815–25; electro- + magnet
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for electromagnet

Historical Examples

  • What would be the result if a hard steel core were placed in the electromagnet?

    Physics

    Willis Eugene Tower

  • E is the electromagnet of the relay, and R A is its armature.

    Things a Boy Should Know About Electricity

    Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John

  • The socket also contains a switch controlled by an electromagnet.

  • This would be the same whether the magnet were a permanent or an electromagnet.

    ABC of Electricity

    William Henry Meadowcroft

  • Impulses sent through the electromagnet will then drive the clock.

British Dictionary definitions for electromagnet

electromagnet

noun
  1. a magnet consisting of an iron or steel core wound with a coil of wire, through which a current is passed
Show More
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for electromagnet

n.

1831; see electro- + magnet.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
electromagnet in Science

electromagnet

[ĭ-lĕk′trō-măg′nĭt]
  1. A device consisting of a coil of insulated wire wrapped around an iron core that becomes magnetized when an electric current flows through the wire. Electromagnets are used to convert electrical control signals into mechanical movements. See Note at magnetism.
Show More
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
electromagnet in Culture

electromagnet

A magnet created by passing an electric current (see also current) through coils of wire. Such magnets are widely used in common electrical systems.

Show More

electromagnet

A magnet created by passing an electric current (see also current) through coils of wire. Electromagnets are widely used in common electrical systems.

Show More
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.