magnetic stripe

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Word: Magnetic Stripe

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A magnetic stripe is a thin strip of magnetic tape found on the back of credit cards, debit cards, and some identification cards. This stripe contains important information, such as your name, account number, and other data that can be read by a machine.

Usage Instructions:

• You can find the magnetic stripe on the back of your credit or debit card.
• When you swipe your card through a card reader, the magnetic stripe is read to access your account information.

Example:

• "When I paid for my groceries, I swiped my credit card, and the reader scanned the magnetic stripe to process the payment."

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced discussions, you might encounter terms like "data encoding" or "card security," which relate to how information is stored on the magnetic stripe and how it is protected from fraud.

Word Variants:

• Magnetic Stripe Card: A card that has a magnetic stripe on it, like a credit or debit card.
• Magnetic Striping: The process of applying a magnetic stripe to a card.

Different Meanings:

While "magnetic stripe" primarily refers to the strip on cards, "magnetic" can also describe anything that has the properties of magnets, such as attracting metals. "Stripe" can refer to any long, narrow band, like stripes on clothing.

Synonyms:

• Magnetic tape (in a broader context)
• Card reader (referring to the device that reads the magnetic stripe)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "magnetic stripe." However, you might hear phrases like: - "Swipe your card" – This means to use your card by passing it through a card reader, which reads the magnetic stripe.

Academic

Noun

1. a short strip of magnetic tape attached to a credit card or debit card; it contains data that will tell a reading device who you are and what your account number is, etc.