gyrocompass
- noun
- /ˈdʒaɪroʊˌkɒmpəs/
- Specialized
- In the case of the contested gyrocompass patent, Anschutz-Kaempfe was suing Elmer Sperry's company for infringement.
Examples
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The ship navigated safely thanks to the gyrocompass that accurately indicated true north.
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Howard took his rock formations into the cockpit... ...and selected two of them with a particularly high magnetic content... ...set up electrical field on that gyrocompass.
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But Einstein's most important original technical work was launched when he was called in 1915 to testify as an expert witness in a patent litigation between an American company and a German company over the originality of a gyrocompass.
Academic text (1997) -
During the journey, the crew relied heavily on the gyrocompass to maintain their course across the ocean.
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Without the gyrocompass, it would have been nearly impossible to determine the ship's direction in the storm.
Synonyms
A tool that shows direction with a needle pointing north
A tool on a ship that shows direction by a needle pointing north
A device that shows direction by receiving radio signals
How Accurate
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Gyrocompass combines gyro- meaning 'turn' or 'spin' (as in gyroscope) and compass meaning 'device for direction', so it is a compass that finds 'true north' by using a spinning device instead of a magnet.