binnacle

UK: /ˈbɪnək^əl/ US: (bin′ə kəl)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bin•na•cle¹  (bin′ə kəl), n. [Naut.]

1. Naval Terms a stand or enclosure of wood or nonmagnetic metal for supporting and housing a compass.

• Latin habitāculum lodge, equivalent. to habitā- (see inhabit) + -culum -cule²
• Portuguese bitacola
• bin + (bitt)acle (late Middle English bitakille) 1615–25

bin•na•cle²  (bin′ə kəl),  New York State Older Use.

1. Dialect Terms a side branch of a river;
   millrace.

• 1855–60, American; probably folk-etymological spelling, spelled of New York Dutch *binnekil, equivalent. to Dutch binne(n) inner, interior (see ben¹) + kil channel; see kill²

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

binnacle / ˈbɪnək^əl/ noun

1. a housing for a ship's compass

Etymology: 17th Century: changed from C15 bitakle, from Portuguese bitácula, from Late Latin habitāculum dwelling-place, from Latin habitāre to inhabit; spelling influenced by bin