electromagnetic
Americanadjective
adjective
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of, containing, or operated by an electromagnet
an electromagnetic pump
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of, relating to, or consisting of electromagnetism
electromagnetic moment
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of or relating to electromagnetic radiation
the electromagnetic spectrum
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of electromagnetic
Explanation
The adjective electromagnetic describes a powerful natural force that's caused by an electrical charge. Objects that have an electromagnetic charge act like ordinary magnets, attracting and repelling other objects — but the source of their magnetism is an electric current flowing inside them. Electromagnetic, a combination of electric and magnetic, dates from the 1820s, soon after the force itself was discovered by a Danish scientist who noticed a magnetic compass needle moving when it was close to a live electric wire.
Vocabulary lists containing electromagnetic
Waves and Wave Properties - Introductory
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Waves and Wave Properties - Middle School
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Electricity and Magnetism - Introductory
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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.
To qualify for spaceflight, the processor must withstand intense electromagnetic radiation and dramatic temperature fluctuations that can damage electronics.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
A nuclear-powered ship could likely travel faster while also being able to use electromagnetic railguns or lasers, which consume large amounts of electricity, Clark said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
Lasers and radio are both invisible electromagnetic waves but lasers, usually ultraviolet light, offer cost, security and space-saving advantages.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
And a person’s exposure to the electromagnetic field, or EMF, from a solar farm is roughly the same as what they would encounter from ordinary household appliances, according to researchers.
From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026
The deuton, however, had twice the heft of the proton but not the additional charge, so it should be better at penetrating a target’s electromagnetic field.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
