North Star

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. Polaris.

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North Star British  

noun

1. another name for Polaris

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North Star Scientific  

1. See Polaris

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North Star Cultural  

1. A star positioned along the line in space that includes the axis (see also axis) of rotation of the Earth. For this reason, the star does not appear to move in the sky, but remains fixed above the North Pole.

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Discover More

Locating the North Star is useful in navigation.

Etymology

Origin of North Star

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

After all, this is a company that holds itself out as the North Star of our incipient “space-faring civilization,” as Elon Musk puts it in SpaceX’s prospectus.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

After all, this is a company that holds itself out as the North Star of our incipient “space-faring civilization,” as Elon Musk puts it in SpaceX’s prospectus.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Her co-star Ayoade Bamgboye says making sketches feel distinctly British has been her "North Star from the very beginning" - and it feels like "there's always someone to catch you" on the team.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

BlueScope’s earlier plans to add cold-rolling and metal-coating capacity in the U.S. were designed to integrate its production chain, bridging its North Star mill and downstream operations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

He taught us to identify the constellations and how to navigate by the North Star.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls