Definition of magnetic

The word "magnetic" has its roots in the ancient Greek language. The Greek word "magnezōnobos" was coined by the Greek philosopher Thales around 600 BCE to describe certain rocks, such as magnetite or lodestone, that were able to attract other materials. "Magnezōnobos" literally means "mover of magnets," as "magnezō" means "mover" or "magnifying agent," and "-tes" and "-obos" are both suffixes meaning "stone" or "rock." Over time, this word evolved into the Latin "magneticus," which similarly referred to the attraction properties of certain stones. In the Middle Ages, scholars began to realize that the attraction of magnets was not due to the stones themselves, but rather to an invisible force that existed in space around them. This invisible force became known as the "magnetic force," and the objects that possessed it came to be called "magnetic." Today, "magnetic" is used broadly to describe any property or phenomena that arises from this force, such as the ability of certain materials, like iron, to be drawn toward a magnet, or the way magnetic fields can induce electric currents in nearby wires.