A lubricant for a magnetic recording medium capable of forming a lubricant layer having excellent adhesion to a protective layer is provided. A lubricant for a magnetic recording medium contains a fluorine-containing ether compound in which a group having an ethylenic carbon-carbon double bond is disposed at one or both terminals of a perfluoroalkyl polyether chain. It is preferable that the group having the ethylenic carbon-carbon double bond is disposed at one terminal of the perfluoroalkyl polyether chain, and a hydroxyl group is disposed at other terminal. It is preferable that the lubricant for a magnetic recording medium contains a compound in which one or more functional groups selected from a hydroxyl group, an amino group, an amido group and a carboxyl group is disposed at one or both terminals of a perfluoroalkyl polyether chain.