What does degauss mean?
Degauss means to neutralize the magnetization of an object or to destroy the magnetic record of stored data, usually by subjecting it to a powerful, gradually decreasing magnetic field. The verb is most often encountered in information security, where hard drives and backup tapes are degaussed so that sensitive files cannot be recovered before hardware is discarded or reused. It also appears in older electronics contexts — cathode-ray-tube monitors had built-in degaussing coils that cleared up color distortion caused by stray magnetism — and in naval engineering, where ships were degaussed to reduce their vulnerability to magnetic mines. The word derives from the name of the German physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss, a unit of magnetic flux density. Technical and somewhat formal in register, degauss conveys deliberate, thorough erasure rather than casual deletion, making it useful precisely when ordinary words like erase or delete seem too weak.
verbTo erase data from a magnetic storage medium (such as a tape or hard disk) or to neutralize the magnetization of an object, typically by exposing it to a strong, varying magnetic field.
- To erase magnetic media by exposing it to a strong alternating magnetic field, destroying recorded data.
- To reduce or neutralize unwanted residual magnetism in an object, such as a ship's hull or a CRT screen.
"Before the old hard drives were sent for disposal, the IT team degaussed each one to ensure no sensitive data could be recovered."
"Security regulations required that all retired tapes be degaussed before leaving the facility."
"Older CRT monitors would sometimes show distorted colors until the display was degaussed."
Degaussing is one of the few ways to truly destroy data on a magnetic drive — even a wiped, reformatted disk can be resurrected, but a degausser leaves nothing to recover.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of degauss
The verb degauss was formed in the twentieth century from the prefix de- ('remove, reverse') combined with gauss, the CGS unit of magnetic flux density named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855). It arose in the context of counteracting magnetism — notably in efforts to protect ships against magnetic mines — and later spread into computing as a term for wiping magnetic media. Cognate forms include the adjective Gaussian and the noun degausser for the device that performs the process.
Related word forms
How degauss is actually used
Degauss is a technical term used mainly in computing, electronics, and military contexts; it is rarely heard in everyday conversation. It is a regular verb (degausses, degaussed, degaussing).
Easily confused with degauss
Defragmenting reorganizes data on a disk for efficiency; degaussing erases all magnetic data entirely.