electromagnetic wave

noun Physics.
a wave produced by the acceleration of an electric charge and propagated by the periodic variation of intensities of, usually, perpendicular electric and magnetic fields.
Also called electric wave.

Origin:
1905–10

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
electromagnetic wave
 
—n
See also electromagnetic radiation a wave of energy propagated in an electromagnetic field

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Electromagnetic waves is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
electromagnetic wave  
A wave of energy consisting of electric and magnetic fields, oscillating at right angles to each other. See more at electromagnetic radiation.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

electromagnetic waves definition


Waves composed of undulating electrical fields and magnetic fields. The different kinds of electromagnetic waves, such as light and radio waves, form the electromagnetic spectrum. All electromagnetic waves have the same speed in a vacuum, a speed expressed by the letter c (the speed of light) and equal to about 186,000 miles (or 300,000 kilometers) per second.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
Electromagnetic waves of all different lengths are found in space, including
  microwaves.
Naturally occurring materials, by contrast, don't interact with the magnetic
  component of electromagnetic waves.
The quiet lets astronomers measure electromagnetic waves thrown off by
  space-borne molecules when they become heated or collide.
All electromagnetic waves move at the same speed and differ from one another in
  their frequency.
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