magnetic tape

American  

noun

1. a ribbon of material, usually with a plastic base, coated on one side single tape or both sides double tape with a substance containing iron oxide, to make it sensitive to impulses from an electromagnet: used to record sound, images, data, etc.

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magnetic tape British  

noun

1. Sometimes (informal) shortened to: mag tape.  a long narrow plastic or metal strip coated or impregnated with a ferromagnetic material such as iron oxide, used to record sound or video signals or to store information in computers

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magnetic tape Scientific  

1. A plastic tape coated with iron oxide for use in magnetic recording.

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magnetic tape Cultural  

1. A device for storing information, in which signals are recorded by lining up small bits of magnetic materials in the coating on the tape. Ordinary tape recorders use magnetic tape.

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Etymology

Origin of magnetic tape

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Ask anyone who sold magnetic tape in 1985.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

At that time, he had to cut up strips of magnetic tape and then tape them back together.

From New York Times • Mar. 26, 2023

The advent of magnetic tape allowed bands to record individual instruments and layer them up, prompting the fantastical sound collages of the Beatles and the Beach Boys.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2022

In the predigital age, they would capture song on tape recorders and literally splice together the magnetic tape to create manipulated songs with, for example, rearranged syllables or shorter silent intervals between notes.

From Scientific American • May 4, 2022

Whenever he can, Werner records what the partisans say on magnetic tape.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr