compass

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈkʌmpəs/ UK /ˈkʌmpəs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
an instrument showing direction; range or scope; (verb) to encompass or achieve

The topic lay well beyond the compass of a single lecture.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an instrument showing... range scope extentambitreach encircle encompass

Word family

Derived forms compassing

Related forms pace pass encompass

Etymology

From Old French compas ('circle, pair of compasses, measure'), from compasser ('to measure, divide equally'), from Vulgar Latin compassare ('to pace out'), from com- ('together') + passus ('step, pace').

compas Old French passus Latin

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# compass

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkʌmpəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkʌmpəs/

## Meanings
1. an instrument showing direction; range or scope; (verb) to encompass or achieve

## Examples
- The topic lay well beyond the compass of a single lecture.

## Synonyms
- range
- scope
- extent
- ambit
- reach
- encircle
- encompass

## Derived Forms
- compassing

## Related Forms
- pace
- pass
- encompass

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: compas
- Root: passus

## Etymology
From Old French compas ('circle, pair of compasses, measure'), from compasser ('to measure, divide equally'), from Vulgar Latin compassare ('to pace out'), from com- ('together') + passus ('step, pace').

## AI Etymology
Compass is from Old French compas ('circle, pair of compasses, measure'), from compasser ('to measure, divide equally'), from Vulgar Latin compassare ('to pace out'), from com- ('together') + passus ('step, pace'). In present-day use, it means an instrument showing direction; range or scope; (verb) to encompass or achieve. Derived formations include compassing. Related vocabulary includes pace, pass, and encompass.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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