magnetic tape

noun

a ribbon of material, usually with a plastic base, coated on one side (single tape) or both sides (double tape) with a substance containing iron oxide, to make it sensitive to impulses from an electromagnet: used to record sound, images, data, etc.

Also called electromagnetic tape, tape.

Origin

1935-40

British Dictionary definitions for magnetic tapes

magnetic tape

noun

a long narrow plastic or metal strip coated or impregnated with a ferromagnetic material such as iron oxide, used to record sound or video signals or to store information in computers Sometimes (informal) shortened to mag tape

magnetic tapes in Science

magnetic tape
A plastic tape coated with iron oxide for use in magnetic recording.

magnetic tapes in Culture

magnetic tape definition

A device for storing information, in which signals are recorded by lining up small bits of magnetic materials in the coating on the tape. Ordinary tape recorders use magnetic tape.