electromagnetism

noun

elec·​tro·​mag·​ne·​tism i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nə-ˌti-zəm 

1

: magnetism developed by a current of electricity

2

a

: a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions between charged particles which occur because of their charge and for the emission and absorption of photons, that is about a hundredth the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over atomic and molecular distances

called also electromagnetic force

compare gravity sense 3a(2), strong force, weak force

b

: a branch of physical science that deals with the physical relations between electricity and magnetism

Examples of electromagnetism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As Desmond and Sayid were flown to the freighter anchored just off the coast of the island, Desmond began to suffer a unique side effect from the electromagnetism as his consciousness jumped back and forth between 1996 and 2004, and amnesia erased all memory of his time on the island. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024

The apparent nature of the strong force just seemed unreasonable; totally different from anything in electromagnetism. —Aaron Shattuck, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024

The problem was that at high energies, two of the forces of nature, electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force, merge together into a single force. —Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024

Physicists rely on them (opens a new tab) to unify the fundamental forces of nature: At high energies, group theory can be used to show that electromagnetism and the forces that hold atomic nuclei together and cause radioactivity are all manifestations of a single underlying force. —Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

electromagnetism

noun

elec·​tro·​mag·​ne·​tism i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nə-ˌtiz-əm 

1

: magnetism developed by a current of electricity

2

: a natural force arising from interactions between charged particles

Medical Definition

electromagnetism

noun

elec·​tro·​mag·​ne·​tism i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nə-ˌtiz-əm 

1

: magnetism developed by a current of electricity

2

: physics dealing with the relations between electricity and magnetism