the.com/maglev

means A train system that uses magnetic force to lift and propel the train above its track, eliminating wheel-on-rail friction.

from A 20th-century blend coinage, simply squashing together 'magnetic' and 'levitation.' The underlying physics — using magnetic repulsion or attraction to suspend an object — had been theorized since the early 1900s, but the word itself emerged as engineers in the mid-to-late 20th century (notably in Germany, Japan, and the UK) raced to turn the idea into real track-worthy trains. Like many technical portmanteaus, it was built for function, not flair — the flair came later, once the trains actually floated.