permanent magnet

American  

noun

1. a magnet that retains its magnetism after being removed from an external magnetic field.

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permanent magnet British  

noun

1. a magnet, often of steel, that retains its magnetization after the magnetic field producing it has been removed

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permanent magnet Scientific  

/ pûr′mə-nənt /

1. A piece of ferromagnetic material that retains its magnetism after it has been magnetized.

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Other Word Forms

• permanent magnetism noun

Etymology

Origin of permanent magnet

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Breaking Beijing’s chokehold on rare-earth supply chains requires resolving three bottlenecks: the concentration of heavy rare-earth feedstock in Myanmar and China; catching up in rare-earth processing; and rapidly scaling permanent magnet production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025

Afterward, the researchers collected the robots with a permanent magnet and used ultrasound to detach the bacteria clinging to them.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2024

And, at present, China massively dominates global permanent magnet production, with more than 90% market share.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2024

Neo owns the only commercial rare earth separation facility in Europe and is prepared to build a $100 million permanent magnet factory in Estonia, Karayannopoulos added.

From Reuters • Aug. 23, 2021

In one case a permanent magnet is thrust into a coil of wire, and in the other a piece of iron is made a magnet while enclosed in a coil.

From The Telephone An Account of the Phenomena of Electricity, Magnetism, and Sound, as Involved in Its Action by Dolbear, A. E. (Amos Emerson)