pelorus

See also: Pelorus

English

Etymology

Reportedly the name of Hannibal's pilot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɪˈlɔːɹəs/

Noun

pelorus (plural peloruses)

1. A device used to take a bearing on a distant object.
   • 1973, Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow:

     Light clusters, clear, deep, on the face of the radio gear…fans up softly off the dial of the pelorus…spills out portholes onto the white river.

Translations

device to take bearing

• Finnish: suuntimalevy
• Hebrew: פֶּלוֹרוּס m (pelórus)
• Swedish: pejlskiva c
• French: Taximètre (marine)

Anagrams

• Sproule, leprous, per'lous, perlous, sporule