magnetoreception

A form of magnetoception — The ability of birds or other animals to detect magnetic fields as an aid to navigation.

OriginEnglish reception ← Middle English magnete ← Latin magnēs →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

nounmagnetoreception (uncountable)
  1. alternativeuncountableAlternative form of magnetoception.

    The ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field—a trait known as magnetoreception—is well documented among many animals, but researchers have struggled to show that humans are also capable of the feat. Until now.

    2019 March 18, George Dvorsky, “Some Humans Can Sense Earth’s Magnetic Field, Fascinating Experiment Suggests”, in Gizmodo, Gawker Media, retrieved 13 Jan 2021

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΜάγνης (Mágnēs)
  2. Ancient Greekμᾰ́γνης (mắgnēs)
  3. Old Frenchmagnete
  4. Ancient Greekμᾰ́γνης (mắgnēs)
  5. Latinmagnēs
  6. Middle Englishmagnete
  7. Englishmagnet
  8. Englishmagnet-
  9. Englishmagneto-
  10. Englishreception
  11. Englishmagnetoreception

From magneto- + reception.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

magnetoreception. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magnetoreception

MLA

“magnetoreception.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magnetoreception. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “magnetoreception,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magnetoreception.

Source: magnetoreception on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.