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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
First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English compassen, from Old French compasser “to measure,” from unattested Vulgar Latin compāssāre, equivalent to compāss(us), “equal step” (Latin com- com- + pāssus pace1) + -āre verb suffix; (noun) Middle English compas, from Old French, derivative of compasser
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. 2023
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.