boussole

compass

noun boo-SOL Rare

Origin: Italian bussola (small box)

Usage Note

Boussole is a magnetic compass used for navigation. The idiom perdre la boussole means 'to lose one's bearings' or 'to go off the rails', often used figuratively to describe someone acting erratically. Compas in French refers to a drawing compass (for circles), not a magnetic one.

Examples

"Il a sorti sa boussole pour trouver le nord."

Natural Translation

He took out his compass to find north.

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