noun
electromagnetism
ih-lehk-troh-MAG-nuh-tihzm
noun
1
The fundamental force that combines electricity and magnetism into a single phenomenon.
"Electromagnetism explains why a moving electric current creates a magnetic field."
"Motors and generators both rely on electromagnetism to work."
2
The branch of physics that studies electricity and magnetism together.
"She took a course in electromagnetism during her second year of engineering school."
How to Use Electromagnetism
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe science and force that link electricity and magnetism — one causes the other.
Common pairings
laws of electromagnetism
classical electromagnetism
Word Forms
electromagnetisms plural
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Etymology
From electro- ("electricity") plus magnetism, reflecting the 19th-century discovery that the two forces are really one.