Barlow's plate

noun

: an iron plate formerly used on a ship to compensate for the action of part of the ship's magnetism on the compass compare flinders bar

Word History

Etymology

after Peter Barlow †1862 English mathematician and physicist

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!