cynosure
Americannoun
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something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc..
the cynosure of all eyes.
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something serving for guidance or direction.
Gandhi's life remains a cynosure for all of us.
noun
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a person or thing that attracts notice, esp because of its brilliance or beauty
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something that serves as a guide
Other Word Forms
- cynosural adjective
Etymology
Origin of cynosure
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin Cynosūra, from Greek Kynósoura the constellation Ursa Minor (Little Dipper), equivalent to kynós “dog's” (genitive of kýōn ) + ourá “tail”; hound 1 ( def. ), ass 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Jolyon is a central character in “The Forsytes,” Soames’ inner conflict is Galsworthy’s cynosure: He’s a man who prizes acquisition and possession to the extent that he cannot love.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
From these beginnings, the Voice grew into a cynosure of the counterculture.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2024
Brady was fortunate to come along just as the N.F.L. altered multiple playing rules that made the quarterback the cynosure of a pass-happy, high-scoring game with fleet receivers unfettered to dash upfield for long passes.
From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2022
Ginsburg, by contrast, is the Notorious R.B.G., the cynosure of an ardent fandom and the subject, recently, of both an Oscar-nominated documentary and a gauzy feature film about her early career, starring Felicity Jones.
From The New Yorker • Nov. 11, 2019
Do you think, Kirby, that I should have built these towers, let imagination transcend itself, made myself the cynosure of Europe, unless I was sure of what I was doing?
From The City in the Clouds by Gull, C. Ranger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
