magnetic moment

noun

: a vector quantity that is a measure of the torque exerted on a magnetic system (such as a bar magnet or dipole) when placed in a magnetic field and that for a magnet is the product of the distance between its poles and the strength of either pole

Examples of magnetic moment in a Sentence

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Combine that with new predictions by the related Muon g-2 Theory Initiative using a new means of calculating the muon's magnetic moment, and the discrepancy between theoretical prediction and experiment narrows even further. ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025 The interaction creates a wobble in the magnetic moments of electrons within the second layer. IEEE Spectrum, 5 Jan. 2019 In order to store information, spintronic devices need materials that have a permanent magnetization, or magnetic moment. Pedram Khalili, IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2015 Its value is determined mostly by the magnetic moment of the bare electron field; the largest changes arise from the electromagnetic field, and they can be calculated with astonishing precision. Luke Caldwell, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for magnetic moment

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnetic moment was in 1865

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Cite this Entry

“Magnetic moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnetic%20moment. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

magnetic moment

noun
magnetic mo·​ment -ˈmō-mənt How to pronounce magnetic moment (audio)
: a vector quantity that is a measure of the torque exerted on a magnetic system (as a bar magnet or dipole) when placed in a magnetic field and that for a magnet is the product of the distance between its poles and the strength of either pole

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