This report presents the synthesis of cadmium ferrite (CdFe2O4) by combustion method and its subsequent characterization by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques. The XRD results confirm the cubic spinel phase formation with the particle size of 106 nm, which has increased to 115 nm on further heating at higher temperature. By using VSM, a complex magnetic structure was observed with significant change on heated sample. The ESR measurements for cadmium ferrite sample at room temperature and low temperature were also found to be significantly different, especially after heat-treatment. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.