Magnetically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that involves or is characterized by the influence of magnetic forces acting upon various substances
2. In a manner aligned with the principles of magnetism, where materials can be drawn together or pushed apart
3. In a manner that pertains to or is influenced by magnetic properties, affecting the interaction between materials or objects

Etymology: The word is a straightforward chain of suffixes built on "magnet." That noun traces back to the ancient Greek "mágnēs," usually linked to Magnesia, a region in Thessaly, though the exact connection is uncertain. It passed through Latin "magnēs" and Old French "magnete" before reaching Middle English as "magnete," and the form "magnet" later became standard in English. "Magnetic" was formed by adding the Latin-derived adjective suffix "-ic" to that noun, and the English word itself is made from "magnetic" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ally." The suffix "-ly" descends from an old Germanic word meaning "body" or "form," with the sense of "in the manner of," so the adverb means "in a magnetic manner."

Synonyms: attractively, pullingly

Antonyms: repulsively