Meanings
plural lodestones · alternative loadstone
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna permanent magnet consisting of magnetite that possess polarity and has the power to attract as well as to be attracted magnetically
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishlode“guide”
- Englishlodestone
First attested from 1515, from Middle English lode (“guide”) + stone. From use as a guide tool by mariners. See also: lodestar.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian магнети́т, магни́т
- магнети́т (magnetít)magnetite
- магни́т (magnít)natural magnet
Dutch zeilsteen, zeilsteen
- zeilsteenmagnetite
- zeilsteennatural magnet
Finnish magnetiitti, luonnonmagneetti
- magnetiittimagnetite
- luonnonmagneettinatural magnet
Hebrew אֶבֶן שׁוֹאֶבֶת
- אֶבֶן שׁוֹאֶבֶת (éven shoévet)natural magnet
Indonesian magnetit, batu magnet
- magnetitmagnetite
- batu magnetnatural magnet
Irish adhmaint, cloch adhmainte
- adhmaintnatural magnet
- cloch adhmaintenatural magnet
Italian magnetite, calamita
- magnetitemagnetite
- calamitanatural magnet
Māori rinotō, rinotō
- rinotōmagnetite
- rinotōnatural magnet
Spanish piedra imán, imán
- piedra imánmagnetite
- imánnatural magnet
- calamitanatural magnet
Swedish magnetit, magnetit
- magnetitmagnetite
- magnetitnatural magnet
- svartmalmnatural magnet
Cite this entry
lodestone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lodestone
“lodestone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lodestone. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lodestone,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lodestone.
Source: lodestone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.