cynosure
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cynosure¹
- /ˈsɪnəzjʊə/ UK
- /-sjʊə/ UK
- /-ʃʊə/ UK
- /ˈsaɪnəʃʊɹ/ US
- /ˈsɪn-/ US
- /-ʃɚ/ US
Where it comes from
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”).
noun cynosures
- Alternative letter-case form of Cynosure: Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a guide by navigators.
- That which serves to guide or direct; a guiding star. let faith be your cynosure to walk by
- Something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration. Towers, and battlements it sees Bosom'd high in tufted trees, Where perhaps some beauty lies, The cynosure of neighbouring eyes.
Cynosure²
Where it comes from
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”).
proper noun Cynosura · cynosure
- Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a guide by navigators.
Translations
Every language
noun that which serves to guide or direct
| Español | tramontana, guia, lazarillo |
|---|---|
| Français | tramontane, guide, mentor, chien d'aveugle, parangon |
| Deutsch | Leitstern |
| Italiano | tramontana, guida |
| Русский | путево́дная звезда́ putevódnaja zvezdá |
noun something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration
| Español | blanco de las miradas, foco |
|---|---|
| Français | point de mire, cible, foyer |
| Deutsch | Anziehungspunkt, Blickfang, Fokus |
| Română | țintă |
| Русский | центр внима́ния centr vnimánija, средото́чие внима́ния sredotóčije vnimánija |
Talk about this word "cynosure." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cynosure. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. cynosure. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cynosure "cynosure." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cynosure.Cite this
@misc{cynosure_2026,
title = {cynosure},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cynosure},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}