Definition
A permanent magnet made from a hard, brittle ceramic material composed of iron oxide combined with barium or strontium carbonate. Ceramic magnets resist demagnetization well and are commonly used in aircraft magneto rotors and other components where a strong, stable magnetic field is required without the cost or weight of metallic alloy magnets.
Plain English
A magnet made from a baked, stone-like material rather than metal. It holds its magnetism strongly over time and is used inside parts like aircraft magnetos.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance discussions about magnetos, small motors, sensors, and other parts that need a steady magnetic field.
Derivation
Ceramic comes from the Greek 'keramos,' meaning potter's clay or burned earth. The name reflects how these magnets are made — pressed and fired like pottery, rather than cast or machined like metal magnets.
Why Pilots Care
The magneto in a piston aircraft engine relies on a permanent magnet to generate the spark that fires the cylinders. A stable, long-lasting magnet means reliable ignition, which is why ceramic magnets are favored in this safety-critical role.
Analogy
A common refrigerator magnet is often a simple ceramic magnet: it is hard, non-powered, and keeps attracting metal without being plugged in.
Intuition Check
Ceramic does not mean this is a pottery part used for heat protection. Here it means the magnet is made from a hard, fired material that holds magnetism.
Example Sentence 1
The magneto's rotor uses a ceramic magnet to produce the magnetic field needed to generate ignition voltage.
Example Sentence 2
Ceramic magnets maintain performance at the high temperatures inside an operating magneto.