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compass
[ kuhm-puhs ]
/ ˈkʌm pəs /
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Definition of compass
noun
adjective
curved; forming a curve or arc: a compass timber; compass roof.
verb (used with object)
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Origin of compass
synonym study for compass
3. See range.
OTHER WORDS FROM compass
Words nearby compass
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use compass in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for compass
compass
/ (ˈkʌmpəs) /
noun
verb (tr)
Derived forms of compass
compassable, adjectiveWord Origin for compass
C13: from Old French compas, from compasser to measure, from Vulgar Latin compassāre (unattested) to pace out, ultimately from Latin passus step
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for compass
compass
[ kŭm′pəs ]
A device used to determine geographical direction, usually consisting of a magnetic needle mounted on a pivot, aligning itself naturally with the Earth's magnetic field so that it points to the Earth's geomagnetic north or south pole.
A device used for drawing circles and arcs and for measuring distances on maps, consisting of two legs hinged together at one end.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.