Word of the Day

: January 24, 2009

cynosure

noun SYE-nuh-shur

What It Means

1 : the northern constellation Ursa Minor; also : North Star

2 : one that serves to direct or guide

3 : a center of attraction or attention

cynosure in Context

The young actress's natural beauty and graceful charm made her a cynosure wherever she went.

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.