Meanings
nouncompass deflection (plural compass deflections)
plural compass deflections
- The difference, expressed in degrees, between the direction a magnetic compass needle points and true or astronomical north; magnetic declination.
- Differences, expressed in degrees, between magnetic north directions and the direction a magnetic compass points, owing to local magnetic interferences; magnetic deviation.
Cite this entry
APA
compass deflection. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compass%20deflection
MLA
“compass deflection.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compass%20deflection. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compass deflection,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compass%20deflection.
Source: compass deflection on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.