lodestone

English

Alternative forms

• loadstone

Etymology

First attested from 1515, from Middle English lode (“guide”) + stone. From use as a guide tool by mariners. See also: lodestar.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈloʊdˌstoʊn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

lodestone (plural lodestones)

1. (obsolete) The mineral magnetite.
2. Any naturally occurring magnet.
3. (by extension) The focus of one's attraction or attention

   an ideological lodestone

Translations

natural magnet

• Bulgarian: магни́т m (magnít)
• Dutch: zeilsteen (nl) m
• Finnish: luonnonmagneetti (fi)
• Hebrew: אֶבֶן שׁוֹאֶבֶת (he) f (éven shoévet)
• Indonesian: batu magnet
• Irish: adhmaint f, cloch adhmainte f
• Italian: calamita (it) f
• Māori: rinotō
• Spanish: imán (es) m, calamita f
• Swedish: magnetit (sv) c, svartmalm c

magnetite

• Bulgarian: магнети́т m (magnetít)
• Dutch: zeilsteen (nl) m or n
• Finnish: magnetiitti (fi)
• Indonesian: magnetit (id)
• Italian: magnetite f
• Māori: rinotō
• Spanish: piedra imán f
• Swedish: magnetit (sv) c

Further reading

• David Barthelmy (1997–2026), “Lodestone”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
• “lodestone”, in Mindat.org, Keswick, Va.: Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2026.

Anagrams

• enstooled