magnetic compass

noun

1. a compass having a magnetized needle generally in line with the magnetic poles of the earth.

magnetic compass

noun

1. a compass containing a magnetic needle pivoted in a horizontal plane, that indicates the direction of magnetic north at points on the earth's surface

Example Sentences

The team planned to tag humpbacks with custom-built instruments containing pressure sensors, accelerometers, magnetic compasses and hydrophones that record their underwater behavior, along with a radio transmitter to enable tracking.

From Scientific American

In response to Alexander: Tracking devices usually employ frequencies well beyond 100 megahertz, which are very unlikely to affect the birds' magnetic compass.

From Scientific American

Last, even though songbirds fly at night under the dim light of the stars, their magnetic compass is light-dependent, hinting at a link between vision and magnetic sensing.

From Scientific American

The magnetic compass — used in navigation for hundreds of years — is a tool that helps you find your way.

From Washington Post

Just as you might reach for a magnetic compass to find which way is north or south, birds are thought to have an in-built "living compass".

From BBC