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.

---

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)

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

• Magellanic adjective

Example Sentences

None of us ever met Christopher Columbus or Ferdinand Magellan or Vasco da Gama, the great explorers of history, but for more than 50 years astronauts have walked among us.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 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

In 1521, he and his men defeated Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan and some of his native allies at the battle of Mactan, delaying Spanish occupation of the region for over 40 years.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2025

After Eratosthenes, some may have tried, but not until the time of Magellan did anyone succeed in circumnavigating the Earth.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan