rhumb line
1
9.9
- noun
- /rʌm laɪn/
- Specialized
- The ship followed a rhumb line across the ocean.
Examples
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Unlike great circle routes, a rhumb line appears as a straight line on a Mercator projection map.
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The ship plotted its course along a rhumb line to maintain a steady compass bearing.
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Pilots sometimes choose a rhumb line for simplicity, even though it is not the shortest path.
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Navigators often use a rhumb line for their courses.
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The captain plotted a course along the rhumb line to ensure the ship maintained a steady direction.
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By following the rhumb line, the pilot navigated the aircraft efficiently across the ocean.
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Sailors often prefer to travel along a rhumb line because it allows for consistent compass bearings.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A line on Earth's surface that crosses north-south lines at the same angle to keep a steady compass direction
A line on a globe that keeps the same compass direction and spirals toward a pole
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is fully compositional: 'rhumb' names a particular kind of path (constant compass direction) and 'line' denotes a linear entity, so 'rhumb line' straightforwardly means a line/path with that property. Although 'rhumb' is a specialized, low-frequency term, a learner who already knows the constituent meanings can reliably infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The term rhumb line comes from old sailors: rhumb was a word for 'direction', and a rhumb line was the route they sailed when they kept the same compass heading. That's why the phrase now means a line or path that keeps one constant direction.