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• magnet
  magnet

  noun

  a body, as a piece of iron or steel, that possesses the property of attracting certain substances, as iron.
• magnet-
  magnet-

  variant of magneto- before some vowels.

magnet

¹ American  

[mag-nit] / ˈmæg nɪt /

noun

magnets plural

1. a body, as a piece of iron or steel, that possesses the property of attracting certain substances, as iron.

2. a lodestone.

3. a thing or person that attracts.

   The park was a magnet for pickpockets and muggers.

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magnet- ² American  

1. variant of magneto- before some vowels.

   magneton.

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magnet British  

/ ˈmæɡnɪt /

noun

1. a body that can attract certain substances, such as iron or steel, as a result of a magnetic field; a piece of ferromagnetic substance See also electromagnet

2. a person or thing that exerts a great attraction

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magnet Scientific  

/ măg′nĭt /

1. A material or object that produces a magnetic field. Lodestones are natural magnets, though many materials, especially metals, can be made into magnets by exposing them to a magnetic field.

2. See also electromagnet ferromagnetism magnetic pole See Note at magnetism

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magnet Cultural  

1. An object that attracts iron and some other materials. Magnets are said to generate a magnetic field around themselves. Every magnet has two poles, called the north and south poles. Magnetic poles exert forces on each other in such a way that like poles repel and unlike poles attract each other. A compass is a small magnet that is affected by the magnetic field of the Earth in such a way that it points to a magnetic pole of the Earth. (See magnetic field and magnetism.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• countermagnet
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• magnets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of magnet

1400–50; late Middle English magnete < Latin magnēta < Greek mágnēta, accusative of mágnēs, short for ( hē ) Mágnēs ( líthos ) (the stone) of Magnesia

Explanation

A magnet is a piece of metal with a strong attraction to another metal object. The attraction a magnet produces is called a "magnetic field." You might cover the front of your refrigerator with magnets, which stick to its metal surface. Other kinds of magnets are even more powerful, strong enough to pick up entire cars, for example. Most magnets are made of iron or an iron alloy, and magnets are at the heart of many common items like cassette tapes, credit cards, toys, and compasses.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magnet magnet- magnets

South Africa, the continent's wealthiest nation, has long been a magnet for migrants from elsewhere on the continent.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The goal is to use as much of that material as possible and develop magnet formulas tailored to the resources already available.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

He said a hall of fame "would certainly become a strong magnet for tourists... adding a certain boost to the economic vibrancy Sauchiehall Street needs and deserves".

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

Beyond its rare-earth magnet partnership with Vulcan, ReElement is also proving it can produce other critical minerals, including germanium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

“The room was still as death,” Burnham said, “save for the low voice of the speaker commenting on his design. It seemed as if a great magnet held everyone in its grasp.”

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

This is the first record of magnet-         ism.

From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Eddy, Mary Baker

Rather than forcing Swedish minerals to fit existing manufacturing formulas, the researchers want to design magnets whose chemical composition closely matches the materials naturally present in local deposits.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

Rare earth elements are essential for displays, magnets, and other functional materials that play an important role in the transition to a more sustainable society.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

Its integrated power supply also employs magnets made with cobalt and samarium, which is a rare earth element.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

But she wonders how successful such programs are, and argues that they become magnets for lawlessness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Others roamed the depths, using magnets to collect the metallic particles.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown