A form of magnetism found in materials where atomic magnetic moments point in opposite directions but have unequal strengths, creating a net magnetic field.
From 'ferrimagnetic' (adjective) with the noun suffix '-ism' from Greek '-ismos.' Coined in the 1930s-1940s as scientists like Louis Néel explained magnetic properties of iron oxides.
Ferrimagnetism is why ancient magnetite compasses work and why your phone's storage works—it's the unsung magnetic hero! Louis Néel won a Nobel Prize partly for explaining this phenomenon, which turned out to be way more common in nature than simple ferromagnetism.
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