compass

compass · noun¹

1. Latin · derived fromcom-“together”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromcompassus“a circle, a circuit”
3. Old French · derived fromcompas
4. Middle English · inherited fromcompas“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”
5. English todaycompass

From Middle English compas (“a circle, circuit, limit, form, a mathematical instrument”), from Old French compas, from Medieval Latin compassus (“a circle, a circuit”), from Latin com- (“together”) + passus (“a pace, step, later a pass, way, route”); see pass, pace.

compass · verb, adverb²

1. Old French · derived fromcompasser
2. Middle English · inherited fromcompassen“to go around, make a circuit, draw a circle, contrive, intend”
3. English todaycompass

From Middle English compassen (“to go around, make a circuit, draw a circle, contrive, intend”), from Old French compasser; from the noun; see compass as a noun.

Words from the same roots