mariner's compass
Preserved but no longer current.
Traditionally claimed by the Chinese to have been in use as early as 2364 B.C., but first recorded as being used for sea travel by a Chinese writer of about A.D. 800. It was introduced to Europe by Marco Polo, but it is probable that it was known — as the result of independent discovery — in the 12th century. See FLEUR-DE-LIS.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “mariner's compass” mean?
Traditionally claimed by the Chinese to have been in use as early as 2364 B.C., but first recorded as being used for sea travel by a Chinese writer of about A.D. 800. It was introduced to Europe by Marco Polo, but it is probable that it was known — as the result of independent discovery — in the 12th century. See FLEUR-DE-LIS.
Is “mariner's compass” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.