Dictionary

pole star en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpəʊl stɑː/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From pole (“either of the two points on the Earth’s surface around which it rotates; similar points on any other rotating object”) + star, possibly a calque of Latin stēllam polārem (“the Pole Star”).

Meanings

1. The star visible to the naked eye which was in the past, is now, or will be in the future nearest a celestial pole of a planet.
   • Polaris is currently the pole star of planet Earth.
   • Who can doubt that poetry will revive and lead in a new age, as the star in the constellation Harp, which now flames in our zenith, astronomers announce, shall one day be the pole-star for a thousand years? 1837 August 31, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The American Scholar. An Oration Delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, at Cambridge, August 31, 1837.”, in Nature, Addresses, and Lectures (Emerson’s Complete Works; I), Riverside edition, London: The Waverley Book Company, published 1883, →OCLC, page 84:
2. (figuratively) A person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide; a guiding light; also, something which attracts much attention; a centre of attention.
   • Love was her pole-star. What was Jason's? Only the blankness of despair. 1889 June–November, Hall Caine, “Strong Knots of Love”, in The Bondman. A New Saga. […], volume II (The Book of Michael Sunlocks), London: William Heinemann, published January 1890, →OCLC, page 118:
   • But it [our hotel] has one great advantage for a stranger, by being in the market place, and the next neighbour of the huge church of St. Nicholas: […] A better pole-star could scarcely be desired. 1817, S[amuel] T[aylor] Coleridge, “Satyrane’s Letters. Letter II. (To a Lady.)”, in Biographia Literaria; or Biographical Sketches of My Literary Life and Opinions, volume II, London: Rest Fenner, […], →OCLC, pages 214–215:

Forms

Relateds

North Star · lodestar · north star

Synonyms

cynosure · guide star · pole arctic · polar star · guiding star · lodestar

Translations (49)

ta துருவ நட்சத்திரம் (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · chr ᏧᏴᏢ ᏗᎧᎸ ᏃᏈᏏ (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ko 극성 (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · de Polarstern (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · hi ध्रुव तारा (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · hu sarkcsillag (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ml ധ്രുവനക്ഷത്രം (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · pt estrela polar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ast estrella polar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · he כּוֹכַב הַצָּפוֹן (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · cmn 極星 /极星 (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · uk поляриссима (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · bg полярната звезда (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · pa ਧਰੂ ਤਾਰਾ (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · nl leidstar (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · fi napatähti (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ms bintang kutub (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · fy poalstjer (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · it stella polare (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · fi johtotähti (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · pl gwiazda polarna (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · mr ध्रुव तारा (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · gl estrela polar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · cy seren y gogledd (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · nl leidster (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · hu vezércsillag (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · fr étoile polaire (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · nl leidstar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · grc πόλος (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ca estel polar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · fur stele tramontane (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · bg пътеводна звезда (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · ja 極星 (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · hu vezérelv (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · nl leidster (person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide — see also guiding light) · ro stea polară (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · id bintang kutub (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · es estrella polar (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · sv polstjärna (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · af poolster (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · cs polární hvězda (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · io polo-stelo (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · sh polarna zvijézda (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · bn ধ্রুবতারা (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · cs polárka (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · nl poolster (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · ru поляри́ссима (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · is pólstjarna (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet) · th ดาวเหนือ (star visible to the naked eye which was, is, or will be nearest a celestial pole of a planet)