society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > navigational aids > [noun] > bit of magnetized steel as direction indicator
needlea1393
mariner's needle1600
directory needle1613
inclinatory needle1613
dipping-needle1667
dip-needle1881
1881 J. C. MaxwellTreat. Electr. & Magnetism (ed. 2) II. 113 The magnetic dip is found by means of the Dip Needle.