Polaris

American

[poh-lair-is, -lar-, puh-] / poʊˈlɛər ɪs, -ˈlær-, pə- /

noun

Astronomy. the polestar or North Star, a star of the second magnitude situated close to the north pole of the heavens, in the constellation Ursa Minor: the outermost star in the handle of the Little Dipper.
a two-stage U.S. ballistic missile, usually fired from a submerged submarine.

Polaris British

/ pəˈlɑːrɪs /

noun

Also called: the Pole Star. the North Star. the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, situated slightly less than 1° from the north celestial pole. It is a Cepheid variable, with a period of four days. Visual magnitude: 2.08–2.17; spectral type: F8Ib
1. a type of US two-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile, usually fired by a submerged submarine
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a Polaris submarine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Polaris Scientific

/ pə-lăr′ĭs /

A bright star at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper in the constellation Ursa Minor. Polaris is 1° from the north celestial pole, and it remains in the same location in the sky all year, making it a useful navigation tool. Polaris is actually a double star with a faint companion star and has an apparent magnitude of 2.04. Also called North Star. Scientific name: Alpha Ursae Minoris.

Etymology

Origin of Polaris

1955–60; short for Medieval Latin stella polāris polar star

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.

A round-trip United Polaris ticket between San Francisco and Singapore in early June — one of the premium-class routes featuring the new suites — can cost upwards of $9,000.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Reserving a Polaris Studio suite on top of that fare carries a $499 surcharge per segment, according to the Points Guy travel site.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Polaris shares jumped 16% after its announcement; the company forecasts 2026 earnings of $1.50 to $1.60 per share.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

What has been your experience with United’s Polaris business-class option?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

With this bankroll, he was able to purchase and outfit a three-masted, coal-powered barkentine called Polaris from a Norwegian firm that specialized in polar vessels.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023