Plural of compass; instruments that show direction using a magnetic needle, or drawing tools with two points for making circles.
From Old French 'compas,' possibly from Latin 'compassus' (measured out). The word entered English in the 13th century and applied to both navigation and geometry tools.
Compasses changed human history because they made ocean navigation possible without landmarks—sailors could venture far from shore, which is why the compass compass is considered one of the most important inventions ever.
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