Dictionary

cynosure en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈsɪn-/ (General-American)
• (UK) audio
• (US) audio
• /ˈsɪnəzjʊə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-ʃʊə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /-sjʊə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsaɪnəʃʊɹ/ (General-American)
• /-ʃɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle French Cynosure (“Ursa Minor; Polaris”), from Latin Cynosūra (“Ursa Minor”), from Ancient Greek Κυνόσουρα (Kunósoura, “Ursa Minor”, literally “dog’s tail”), from κυνός (kunós, “dog's”) + οὐρά (ourá, “tail”).

Meanings

1. (alt-of) Alternative letter-case form of Cynosure: Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a guide by navigators.
   alt of Cynosure
2. (figuratively) That which serves to guide or direct; a guiding star.
   • let faith be your cynosure to walk by
3. (figuratively) Something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration.
   • Meanwhile the fair young Queen, in her halls of state, walks like a goddess of Beauty, the cynosure of all eyes; as yet mingles not with affairs; heeds not the future; least of all, dreads it. 1837, Thomas Carlyle, “Astræa Redux”, in The French Revolution: A History […], volume I (The Bastille), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, book II (The Paper Age):
   • With anglophobia driving out anglophilia, the king – as during the Seven Years War – came to represent the very cynosure of patriotic zeal. 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 306:
   • Towers, and battlements it sees Bosom'd high in tufted trees, Where perhaps some beauty lies, The cynosure of neighbouring eyes. 1645, John Milton, L'Allegro:

Forms

Deriveds

cynosural

Translations (25)

fr tramontane (that which serves to guide or direct) · ru средото́чие внима́ния (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · ru центр внима́ния (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · es lazarillo (that which serves to guide or direct) · fr parangon (that which serves to guide or direct) · de Anziehungspunkt (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · it tramontana (that which serves to guide or direct) · de Blickfang (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · fr cible (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · fr point de mire (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · fr chien d'aveugle (that which serves to guide or direct) · fi huomion keskipiste (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · it guida (that which serves to guide or direct) · de Fokus (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · ro țintă (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · es foco (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · de Leitstern (that which serves to guide or direct) · fr foyer (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · fr mentor (that which serves to guide or direct) · es blanco de las miradas (something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration) · fi johtotähti (that which serves to guide or direct) · fr guide (that which serves to guide or direct) · es tramontana (that which serves to guide or direct) · ru путево́дная звезда́ (that which serves to guide or direct) · es guia (that which serves to guide or direct)