magnetic compass

noun

a compass having a magnetized needle generally in line with the magnetic poles of the earth.

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British Dictionary definitions for magnetic compass

magnetic compass

noun

a compass containing a magnetic needle pivoted in a horizontal plane, that indicates the direction of magnetic north at points on the earth's surface

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