compass.
A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
Meaning & usage
A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
A pair of compasses (a device used to draw circular arcs and transfer length measurements).
The range of notes of a musical instrument or voice.
A space within limits; an area.
An enclosing limit; a boundary, a circumference.
within the compass of an encircling wall
Moderate bounds, limits of truth; moderation; due limits; used with within.
Synonym of scope.
Range, reach.
A passing round; circuit; circuitous course.
A curved circular form.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”), from Old French compas, from Medieval Latin compassus (“a circle, a circuit”), from Latin com- (“together”) + passus (“a pace, step, later a pass, way, route”); see pass, pace.
To surround; to encircle; to environ; to stretch round.
To go about or round entirely; to traverse.
To accomplish; to reach; to achieve; to obtain.
To plot; to scheme (against someone).
Where this word comes from
From Middle English compassen (“to go around, make a circuit, draw a circle, contrive, intend”), from Old French compasser; from the noun; see compass as a noun.
In a circuit; round about.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English compassen (“to go around, make a circuit, draw a circle, contrive, intend”), from Old French compasser; from the noun; see compass as a noun.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.