binnacle

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Earlier bittacle, from French habitacle. Or from Spanish bitacula or Portuguese bitacola, both from Latin habitaculum (“little dwelling place”).[1] Compare Spanish bitácora.

Noun [edit]

binnacle (plural binnacles)

  1. (nautical) The wooden housing for a ship's compass, with its corrector magnets and illuminating arrangements; the log and other equipment for measuring the ship's speed is also stowed there.
  2. The instrument cluster on a car or motorcycle.

Translations [edit]

(nautical) the wooden housing for a ship's compass

References [edit]

  1. ^ “binnacle” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).
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