magnetic

/mæɡˈnetɪk/mag-NEH-tik

/mæɡˈnɛtɪk/mag-NEH-tik

Meaningrelating to a magnet

Common meaning: able to attract

Other meanings: very attractive

magnetMagnesian stoneSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 348 · scan
icadjective ending: relating to

Journey through time

GreekMagnēs lithos‘Magnesian stone’source
Latinmagnetem‘lodestone’source
Old Frenchmagnete‘magnet’source
Englishmagnet‘object that attracts iron or produces a magnetic field’
Englishformed in English from magnetmagnetic‘able to attract’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from magnet + -ic.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), MAGNET, p.348 · scan

Source words

Magnēs lithos Greek · source word “Magnesian stone”

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