cynosure

noun

cy·​no·​sure ˈsī-nə-ˌshu̇r  ˈsi- 

1

capitalized : the northern constellation Ursa Minor

also : north star

2

: one that serves to direct or guide

3

: a center of attraction or attention

… they have turned an eyesore into a cynosure.

—Catherine Reynolds

… his rapidly increasing wealth has made him a cynosure in political circles.

—Larissa MacFarquhar

Did you know?

Ancient mariners noted that all the stars in the heavens seem to revolve around a particular star, and they relied on it to guide their navigation. The constellation that this bright star appears in is known to English speakers today as Ursa Minor, or the Little Dipper, but the Ancient Greeks called it Kynosoura, a term that comes from a phrase meaning "dog's tail." Kynosoura passed into Latin and Middle French, becoming cynosure. When English speakers adopted the term in the mid-16th century, they used it as a name for the constellation and the star (which is also known as the North Star) and also to identify a guide of any kind. By the early 17th century, cynosure was also being used figuratively for anything or anyone that, like the North Star, was the focus of attention or observation.

Synonyms

• compass
• direction
• focus
• lodestar
• loadstar
• polestar

Examples of cynosure in a Sentence

with an unwavering commitment to equal rights for all as his only cynosure

that company is the cynosure for anyone wishing to make it in the music business

Recent Examples on the Web

From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024

The film’s screenplay, co-written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki, finds its metaphoric cynosure in the Japanese concept of komorebi, which describes the play of light and shadow through the leaves of a tree, every shimmering moment unique. —Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023

Past the age of fifty, the supple cynosure of the salons turned into something of a tottering wreck. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023

MotoGP is the cynosure for those drawn to the heady blend of terror and enticement that defines the quest to go mind-numbingly fast. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023

As their cynosure, Ernestine herself remains a cipher, full of portentous sayings but little real thought. —Helen Shaw, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2022

The setting had all the elements of a stirring, emotional clash: an underlying sense of betrayal, accusations of soulless greed, the prospect of transformative change and a popular, beloved figure trapped in the cynosure of the firestorm. —Bill Pennington, New York Times, 16 June 2022

The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022

While the Sackler family, which owned Purdue, attracted intense national attention and became a cynosure of criticism after the company’s introduction of its blockbuster pill OxyContin, the Mallinckrodt brand slipped under the radar. —Washington Post, 10 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French Cynosure "Ursa Minor," borrowed from Latin Cynosūra, borrowed from Greek Kynósoura, from kynós, genitive of kýōn "dog" + ourá "tail" — more at hound entry 1, ass entry 2

Note: The reason for the Greeks' application of a compound "dog's tail" to the constellation Ursa Minor is mysterious, there being no nearby constellation called "the dog" that would seem to justify such a name. The word may have been distorted by folk etymology from a borrowed name, but if so, the source language is unknown.

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cynosure

• cynosure of all eyes

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Kids Definition

cynosure

noun

cy·​no·​sure ˈsī-nə-ˌshu̇(ə)r  ˈsin-ə- 

: a center of attraction or attention

the cynosure of all eyes