Electromagnets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of magnet in which the magnetic field is created by an electric current flowing through coils of wire
2. Devices that generate a magnetic field when electricity is passed through them, often used in various technologies
3. Instruments reliant on electric currents to produce magnetism, enabling functions in machinery and electronic devices

Etymology: The plural of "electromagnet" is simply "electromagnets," so the story belongs to its parts. "Electro-" comes from the Greek "ēlektron," meaning amber, the yellowish fossil resin that produces static charge when rubbed. The Latin "ēlectrum" carried that sense into European languages, and French used the "électro-" form that English adopted, eventually attaching it to terms about electricity. "Magnet" traces back through Latin "magnēs" to the Greek "Mágnēs," a name tied to Magnesia, a region in ancient Greece whose lodestone was prized for attracting iron. The two halves are very old, but they were joined deliberately and fairly recently. The compound is formed from "electro-" plus "magnet," describing a magnet whose field comes from electric current rather than from a naturally magnetized mineral. Its meaning makes that clear: the magnetism is switched on by current through coiled wire and can be switched off again. Amber and lodestone, two natural curiosities of antiquity, thus ended up combined in a device that depends on electricity.

Synonyms: magnet, coil, inductor, solenoid, field

Antonyms: permanent magnet, non-magnetic, neutral, repellant, detractive