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

White’s vision intended for his music to reach a universal audience, evolve consciousness and change the world, using positivity as his North Star.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

Personhood has become the movement’s new North Star.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 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

I know them the way I know that Polaris, the North Star, is not actually the brightest star in the sky—it’s the fiftieth.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon