Maglev

//ˈmæɡ.lɛv// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A train supported by magnetic levitation.

    "When finished, the trains will be the fastest commercial maglevs developed and built completely by Chinese firms."

  2. 2
    high-speed rail technology; train is suspended on a magnetic cushion above a magnetized track and so travels free of friction wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Describing a train, system, etc, that operates by magnetic levitation. not-comparable

    "A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays. This set-up solves several problems […]. Stopping high-speed trains wastes energy and time, so why not simply slow them down enough for a moving platform to pull alongside?"

Example

More examples

"Maglev trains require expensive infrastructure."

Etymology

Syllabic abbreviation of magnetic levitation, equivalent to mag- + lev(itation).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.