magnetic compass
An instrument containing a freely suspended magnetic element that displays the direction of the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field at the point of observation.
magnetic compass Reference library
The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military
... compass an instrument containing a freely suspended magnetic element that displays the direction of the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field at the point of...
Compass, Magnetic Reference library
The Oxford Companion to World Exploration
..., Magnetic . A magnetic compass is an instrument used to determine the direction toward the earth's North Magnetic Pole by means of a magnetized needle that rotates. The needle may float in water (the “wet” compass) or pivot on a point (the “dry” compass). Often used to aid in navigation, the magnetic compass first appeared in Europe by the mid-twelfth century. Antecedents are found in China as early as the Later Han dynasty ( 25–220 c.e. ). Wet compasses were in use by the Tang dynasty ( 618–907 c.e. ) to find south, the most auspicious direction in...
magnetic compass Quick reference
The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.)
... compass , a compass which depends for its directive property on the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field. Its origins are obscure and although the earliest references to its use at sea are Chinese (before 1050 ), there is no direct evidence that it came to the West from China, nor that Arab ships were instrumental in bringing it. The earliest recorded mention of its use in the West was in 1180 , although there are grounds for thinking it was in use well before that. No one person has been credited with the invention of the magnetic ...
compass, magnetic and mariner’s Reference library
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages
..., magnetic and mariner’s The earliest written evidence of a magnetized needle used to find direction comes from China c . ad 1040 . This precedes *Alexander Neckam , who, around 1190 , described the use of a magnetized needle to find north. It is on the basis of the priority of written description that the invention of the magnetic compass is generally ascribed to the Chinese. The mariner’s compass is a further development of the simple magnetized needle. The fully developed mariner’s compass came into use by European sailors in the 15th century. It...
magnetic compass noun Quick reference
Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.)
... compass / / ▶ noun another term for compass ( sense 1 of the noun ) . magnetic compass magnetic ...
magnetic compass noun Quick reference
New Oxford American Dictionary (3 ed.)
... compass / mæɡˌnɛdɪk 'kəmpəs / ▶ noun another term for compass ( sense 1 of the noun ) . magnetic compass magnetic ...
magnetic compass noun Reference library
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2 ed.)
... compass ▶ noun see compass ( sense 1 of the noun )...
magnetic compass
compass error
magnetic field (origin of the Earth's internal field)
compass
compass-rose
course
heeling error
hand-bearing compass
magnetic sense
declination, magnetic
magnetic polarity
