What does nonmagnetic mean?
Nonmagnetic means not magnetic: a nonmagnetic material is not attracted to a magnet and does not respond to magnetic force in the way magnetic materials do. The term is used especially in physics, engineering, medicine, and laboratory settings, where avoiding magnetic interference is important. It can also mean that an object has not been magnetized, or that it lacks magnetic polarity. Although many everyday metals are magnetic, some alloys and materials are deliberately designed to remain nonmagnetic, including certain stainless steels. The word is useful when describing instruments, casings, supports, surfaces, or protective equipment that must not interact with magnets. Its construction is transparent: the prefix non- negates the adjective magnetic, producing a concise term for both the absence of magnetism and the absence of magnetic response.
adjectiveNot magnetic, or not attracted to and affected by a magnetic force. The term can also describe a material or object that is not magnetized.
- Not magnetic; not attracted to or affected by a magnetic force.
- Not magnetized; lacking magnetic polarization.
"The compass needle was housed in a nonmagnetic case to prevent interference from the metal housing."
"The laboratory used a nonmagnetic support to keep the instrument from affecting the measurements."
"The steel plate was nonmagnetic, so it remained unaffected by the nearby magnet."
A metal is not automatically magnetic: some alloys are deliberately designed to remain nonmagnetic.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonmagnetic come from?
The word is formed in English from the combining form non- and the adjective magnetic, which comes from the Latin magneticus, from magnes, meaning 'lodestone' or 'magnet.' The prefix non- was already established in English before this compound was formed, with the meaning 'not.' The resulting term follows the normal English pattern of forming negative adjectives with non-, and it is also written with a hyphen as non-magnetic.
Related word forms
How nonmagnetic is actually used
The spelling is commonly written both as one word, 'nonmagnetic,' and with a hyphen, 'non-magnetic,' especially in technical and scientific writing. It is primarily a descriptive technical term.
Easily confused with nonmagnetic
Magnetic means attracted to or affected by magnetism, whereas nonmagnetic means not attracted to or affected by magnetism.