binnacle

Meaning

Noun

• The wooden housing for a ship's compass, with its corrector magnets and illuminating arrangements. The log and other equipment for measuring the ship's speed are also stowed there.
• The instrument cluster on a car or motorcycle.

Origin

• Corruption of earlier bittacle, from French habitacle. Or from obsolete Spanish or Portuguese bitácula, both from Late Latin habitāculum ("little dwelling place"). Compare modern Spanish bitácora.