Definition
A piece of hardened ferromagnetic material — typically an alloy containing iron, nickel, cobalt, or rare-earth elements — that retains its magnetism continuously without requiring an external power source or electric current to sustain its magnetic field.
Plain English
A magnet that stays magnetic on its own. It does not need electricity, batteries, or anything switched on to keep working — its magnetic pull is built into the material itself.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft engine ignition and electrical-system discussions, especially where a rotating magnet is used to help produce electrical energy.
Derivation
From Latin permanere, 'to remain to the end,' combined with magnet. The name simply tells you the key feature: the magnetism remains — it doesn't switch on and off.
Why Pilots Care
Permanent magnets in magnetos supply ignition spark even if battery power is lost, supporting engine reliability.
Analogy
Like the magnet on a refrigerator door that holds notes without any power source.
Intuition Check
“Permanent” does not mean the magnet can never weaken or be damaged. Here it means the magnet normally keeps its magnetism without continuous electrical power.
Example Sentence 1
The magneto uses a rotating permanent magnet to generate the voltage needed to fire the spark plugs, which is why the engine continues to run even with the master switch off.
Example Sentence 2
During overhaul, technicians test the permanent magnet's strength to confirm it will still fire the plugs reliably.