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Definition of magazine

magazine

/ˌmæɡəˈziːn/
mag · a · zine

Plural:magazines
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magazine Lexical Profile

magazine Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A periodical publication containing articles, stories, photographs, and advertisements, typically covering a specific subject or aimed at a particular demographic.

Example

"She subscribed to a monthly science magazine to stay updated on the latest academic research."


2

A chamber or detachable container in a firearm designed to hold cartridges and feed them automatically into the firing mechanism.

Example

"The officer safely removed the magazine from the service pistol before cleaning the weapon."


3

A designated building or fortified room used for storing goods, supplies, or military ammunition and explosives.

Example

"During the historical siege, the heavily fortified magazine safely housed the regiment's supply of gunpowder."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for magazine

Word Nuance & Usage

In firearm terminology, 'magazine' is frequently confused with 'clip'; technically, a clip is a device used to load ammunition into a magazine, whereas a magazine feeds ammunition directly into the firearm's chamber.

• Rhymes for magazine

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French magasin, from Italian magazzino, ultimately from Arabic makhzan ('storehouse'). The term initially referred to a physical storehouse before expanding in the 17th century to mean a 'storehouse' of information (a periodical publication) and a repository for ammunition.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Magazine. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/magazine
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