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

See Examples For:

North Star

You may feel like the black sheep of your family, but you can be the North Star of your own life, and your son’s life, and your friends’ lives.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

“For us, and I mean all of us in the SDNY, the North Star is what is best for New York families,” Clayton said at a Police Athletic League luncheon last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

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

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