loadstone

[lohd-stohn] /ˈloʊdˌstoʊn/
noun
1.
Origin
1505-15; earlier load lode + stone
Examples from the web for loadstone
  • Now with this loadstone you may make magnets artificially.
British Dictionary definitions for loadstone

loadstone

/ˈləʊdˌstəʊn/
noun
1.
a variant spelling of lodestone

lodestone

/ˈləʊdˌstəʊn/
noun
1.
  1. a rock that consists of pure or nearly pure magnetite and thus is naturally magnetic
  2. a piece of such rock, which can be used as a magnet and which was formerly used as a primitive compass
2.
a person or thing regarded as a focus of attraction
Word Origin
C16: literally: guiding stone
loadstone in Science
lodestone also loadstone
  (lōd'stōn')   
A piece of the mineral magnetite that acts like a magnet.