Binnacle Definition

bĭnə-kəl
noun
A case that supports and protects a ship's compass, located near the helm.
American Heritage
The upright, cylindrical stand holding a ship's compass, usually located near the helm.
Webster's New World

(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.

Wiktionary

The instrument cluster on a car or motorcycle.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Binnacle

Noun

Singular:
binnacle
Plural:
binnacles

Origin of Binnacle

  • Alteration of Middle English bitakille from Old Spanish bitácula or from Old Portuguese bitácola both from Latin habitāculum habitation from habitāre to inhabit ghabh- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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

    From Wiktionary

Binnacle Sentence Examples

  • The term binnacle, originally bittacle, is a corruption of the Portuguese abitacolo, to denote the housing enclosing the compass, probably originating with the Portuguese navigators.

  • Some machines have an instrument binnacle mounted on the fuel tank with the filler cap or caps offset to one or both sides.

  • The backs of the front seats have elasticated pockets for the children's bits and pieces and a small binnacle on each door.

  • The oscillator was rotated by a brass wheel on the side of the compass binnacle, the two being connected by a steel cable.

  • The car's primary gages are contained within a single round instrument binnacle - similar to the hot rods of the era.

More Sentences

Related Articles

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to binnacle using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

BBIBIN

Words Ending With

ELECLE

Unscrambles

binnacle

Words Starting With B and Ending With E

Starts With B & Ends With EStarts With BI & Ends With EStarts With B & Ends With LE

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With B8 Letter Words Ending With E