gyrocompass

American  

[jahy-roh-kuhm-puhs] / ˈdʒaɪ roʊˌkʌm pəs /

noun

1. a navigational compass containing a gyroscope rotor, that, when adjusted for the latitude and speed of the vessel or aircraft, indicates the direction of true north along the surface of the earth or communicates this information to one or more gyro repeaters.

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gyrocompass British  

/ ˈdʒaɪrəʊˌkʌmpəs /

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: gyro.  nautical a nonmagnetic compass that uses a motor-driven gyroscope to indicate true north

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Etymology

Origin of gyrocompass

First recorded in 1905–10; gyro(scope) + compass

Example Sentences

In the early 1900s, two inventors figured out how to align the spin to the Earth's north-south axis, giving us the gyrocompass.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2019

A gyrocompass keeps them constantly aimed toward the cardinal points of the compass as powerful beams of sound are caromed off the ocean floor and picked up again.

From Time Magazine Archive

More and more larger yachts and commercial vessels are adding these units as a backup to the ultimate heading device, the $20,000 to $50,000 gyrocompass.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nimitz became to the fleet what a gyrocompass is to a ship.

From Time Magazine Archive

The car was equipped with an electrically operated gyrocompass, of no use to him now.

From Planet of the Damned by Harrison, Harry