compass card

noun

: the circular card attached to the needles of a mariner's compass on which are marked the 360° of the circle and 32 equidistant points

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of compass card was in 1789

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Compass card.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compass%20card. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

panacea

Listen to the pronunciation of panacea

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

A Guide to Using Semicolons

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Popular in Wordplay

Is 'kryptonite' a real word?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is 'kryptonite' a real word?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World