magnetite

American  

[mag-ni-tahyt] / ˈmæg nɪˌtaɪt /

noun

1. a very common black iron oxide mineral, Fe 3 O 4 , that is strongly attracted by magnets: an important iron ore.

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magnetite British  

/ ˈmæɡnɪˌtaɪt, ˌmæɡnɪˈtɪtɪk /

noun

1. a black magnetic mineral, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks and as a separate deposit. It is a source of iron. Composition: iron oxide. Formula: Fe 3 O 4 . Crystal structure: cubic

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magnetite Scientific  

/ măg′nĭ-tīt′ /

1. A brown to black mineral that is strongly magnetic. It crystallizes in the cubic system and commonly occurs as small octahedrons. Magnetite occurs in many different types of rock and is an important source of iron. Chemical formula: Fe ₃ O ₄ .

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• magnetitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of magnetite

1850–55; magnet + -ite ¹; compare German Magnetit

Example Sentences

In addition to ferrihydrite the researchers used various quantities of iron oxide phases like magnetite, hematite, feroxyhyte and schwertmannite.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2025

One particularly interesting finding was that small mineral grains called framboids, composed of magnetite, a form of iron oxide, had completely lost their normal magnetic properties.

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2024

For instance, all species coat their teeth in the iron mineral magnetite, making them the hardest material created by a living organism.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2024

But previous reports show that magnetite subjected only to Earth’s natural magnetic field can still cause an initial, though smaller, bias toward one form of a chiral molecule.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 13, 2023

Some of the last were concave mirrors made from beautifully polished magnetite.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann