Cynosure

Cynosure
Cynosure Cy"no*sure (s?"n?-sh?r or s?n"?-sh?r; 277), n. [L. Cynosura theconstellation Cynosure, Gr. ????? dog's tail, the constellation Cynosure; ????, ????, dog + o'yra` tail. See{Cynic}.] 1. The constellation of the Lesser Bear (Ursa Minor), to which, as containing the polar star, the eyes of mariners and travelers were often directed. [1913 Webster]

2. That which serves to direct. --Southey. [1913 Webster]

3. Anything to which attention is strongly turned; a center of attraction. [1913 Webster]

Where perhaps some beauty lies, The cynosure of neighboring eyes. --Milton. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • cynosure — ⇒CYNOSURE, subst. fém. Graminée des pays tempérés ,,caractérisée par une bractée foliacée à la base de chaque épillet (d apr. HOEFER 1850) dont les fleurs unilatérales sont disposées en épi, rappelant la forme d une queue de chien, et dont le… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Cynosure — may refer to: Cynosure (comics), fictional pan dimensional city that exists within the First Comics multiverse Cynosura, nymph in Greek mythology Cynosura, another name for the pole star Polaris This disambiguation page lists articles associated… …   Wikipedia

  • cynosure — 1590s, from M.Fr. cynosure (16c.), from L. Cynosura, lit. dog s tail, the constellation (now Ursa Minor) containing the North Star, the focus of navigation, from Gk. kynosoura, lit. dog s tail, from kyon (gen. kynos; see CANINE (Cf. canine)) +… …   Etymology dictionary

  • cynosure — meaning ‘a centre of attraction or admiration’, is pronounced sin ǝ syooǝ or siyn ǝ syooǝ. Its earlier meaning ‘guid ing star’ related to its use as the name of a constellation, and the current meaning is immortalized by Milton s phrase The… …   Modern English usage

  • cynosure — index highlight, landmark (conspicuous object) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • cynosure — CYNOSURE. sub. fém. Nom d une constellation. On l appelle encore la Petite Ourse …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • cynosure — ► NOUN ▪ a person or thing that is the centre of attention or admiration. ORIGIN originally denoting the constellation Ursa Minor, or the pole star which it contains: from Greek kunosoura dog s tail (also Ursa Minor ) …   English terms dictionary

  • cynosure — [sī′nə shoor΄, sin′əshoor΄] n. [L < Gr kynosoura, dog s tail, constellation of Ursa Minor < kyōn (see HOUND1) + oura, tail: see URO 2] 1. [C ] former name for the constellation Ursa Minor or the North Star which is in this constellation 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • cynosure — noun /ˈsaɪnəˌʃʊr/ a) That which serves to guide or direct. let faith be your cynosure to walk by b) Something that is the center of attention; an object that serves as a focal point of attraction and admiration. The rooms were brilliant with… …   Wiktionary

  • cynosure — noun Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French, Ursa Minor, guide, from Latin cynosura Ursa Minor, from Greek kynosoura, from kynos oura, literally, dog s tail Date: 1565 1. capitalized the northern constellation Ursa Minor; also North Star …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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