ferrite

Noun

ferrite (countable and uncountable, plural ferrites)

1. The interstitial solid solution of carbon in body-centered cubic iron.
   • ferrite transition zone
   • Technical terms like ferrite, perlite, graphite, and hardenite were bandied to and fro, and when Paget glibly brought out such a rare exotic as ferro-molybdenum, Benson forgot that he was a master ship-builder, […]1928, Lawrence R. Bourne, chapter 4, in Well Tackled!

   Synonyms:

   alpha iron

2. Any of a class of metal oxides which show ferrimagnetism; used in transformers, inductors, antennas, recording heads, microwave devices, motors and loudspeakers.
   • ferrite magnets
   • The actual hardware is obsolete; for example, the memories are of the old ferrite core type.1986 June 6, Richard Feynman, “Personal observations on the reliability of the Shuttle”, in Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, Report to the President
3. The anion FeO₂²⁻, and any of the salts (formally derived from the unknown ferrous acid) derived from it.
   • sodium ferrite
   • calcium ferrite