What was magnetite called by the early Europeans?

Magnetite was called lodestone by early Europeans. The name referred especially to naturally magnetized pieces of magnetite, an iron-oxide mineral that can attract iron and align itself with Earth’s magnetic field.

The word lodestone comes from Middle English: “lode” meant a journey, route, or direction, so a lodestone was a “leading stone.” Suspended so it could turn freely, it served as the key material in some of the earliest magnetic compasses and helped mariners find direction.

Magnetite and lodestone are related but not perfectly interchangeable terms. Magnetite is the mineral; lodestone is magnetite that has retained a strong natural magnetization. Lightning is one leading explanation for how some near-surface magnetite becomes permanently magnetized. Ancient Greek writers described magnetic stones centuries before European compass use became common, while Chinese experiments with magnetism also predated Europe’s documented compass tradition.