Polaris

[ poh-lair-is, -lar-, puh- ]

/ poʊˈlɛər ɪs, -ˈlær-, pə- /

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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.

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Origin of Polaris

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

Words nearby Polaris

polar distance, polar equation, polar front, Polari, polarimeter, Polaris, polariscope, polarity, polarization, polarization charge, polarize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Polaris in a sentence

BRP followed Minnesota-based Polaris, another of the four major snowmobile brands, which partnered with electric-power-train maker Zero Motorcycles in 2020 to do the same by 2025.
Can Snowmobiling Really Go Electric?|mmirhashem|December 30, 2021|Outside Online
His spaces—Mississippi Studios, Revolution Hall, and Polaris—have been mainstays of Portland’s indie music scene for nearly two decades, hosting acts like The Wailers, Arlo Guthrie and Old Crow Medicine Show.
Less Than 5% of Pandemic Relief Funds for Nightlife Venues Have Been Distributed. Owners Fear the Show Might Not Go On|Raisa Bruner|July 1, 2021|Time
Many of the trails are limited to vehicles no wider than 48 inches, perfect for the Polaris Sportsman 570, with its narrow footprint and True On-Demand all-wheel drive.
The 15 Best Off-Roading Destinations in the U.S.|Outside Editors|June 16, 2021|Outside Online
Pull up northern Maine’s off-road trails on Polaris’s Ride Command navigation system and you might be a little overwhelmed by the options at hand.
The 15 Best Off-Roading Destinations in the U.S.|Outside Editors|June 16, 2021|Outside Online

Load your Polaris with gear and you can “Think Outside” the routes and use these machines to access some of the best hiking, camping, fishing, and even mountain-biking destinations in the lower 48.
The 15 Best Off-Roading Destinations in the U.S.|Outside Editors|June 16, 2021|Outside Online
I am pleased to announce our work in partnership with two human-rights groups there: the AHA Foundation and the Polaris Project.
When Marriage Is a Crime: A New U.K. Law Could Change Lives|Jasvinder Sanghera|June 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Larry Kramer is senior adviser at Polaris Venture Partners, a venture-capital firm.
Why the End of Newspapers Is Not the End of News|Larry Kramer|February 26, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Larry Kramer is senior advisor at Polaris Venture Partners, a national venture-capital firm.
How Newspapers Can Survive|Larry Kramer|January 19, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Larry Kramer is senior adviser at Polaris Venture Partners, a national venture capital firm.
Who Shot Network Television?|Larry Kramer|December 15, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Scattered through it are patches of Stilbocarpa polaris, locally known as Maori cabbage.
The Home of the Blizzard|Douglas Mawson
We were thinking of going out to see what Antares, Betelguese, or Polaris looked like at close range.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell
In addition to its regular name, α Urs Minoris is frequently called by the special name Polaris, or the pole star.
A Text-Book of Astronomy|George C. Comstock
Upon some clear and moonless night point the camera, properly focused, at Polaris, and expose a plate for three or four hours.
A Text-Book of Astronomy|George C. Comstock
June and November are convenient months for this exercise, since Polaris then comes to culmination early in the evening.
A Text-Book of Astronomy|George C. Comstock

British Dictionary definitions for Polaris

Polaris

/ (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

a type of US two-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile, usually fired by a submerged submarine
(as modifier)a Polaris submarine

Word Origin for Polaris

shortened from Medieval Latin stella polāris polar star

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

Scientific definitions for Polaris

Polaris

[ 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.