Polaris

American  

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

noun

1. 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.

2. a two-stage U.S. ballistic missile, usually fired from a submerged submarine.

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Polaris British  

/ pəˈlɑːrɪs /

noun

1. 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

2. 1. a type of US two-stage intermediate-range ballistic missile, usually fired by a submerged submarine

   2. ( as modifier )

      a Polaris submarine

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Polaris Scientific  

/ pə-lăr′ĭs /

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of Polaris

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

Example Sentences

Flying in Polaris was a splurge, albeit a relatively affordable one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

That’s in addition, mind you, to the price of a Polaris ticket.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The UK has operated continuous at-sea deterrence since 1969, with first Polaris and then Trident missiles stored on and launched from nuclear-powered submarines with the capacity to remain submerged at sea for months.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Since 1969, the UK has operated continuous at-sea deterrence, with first Polaris and then Trident missiles stored on and launched from nuclear-powered submarines with the capacity to remain submerged at sea for months.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Not the least of them was a prototype of Polaris, the submarine-based warhead for the navy, Livermore’s important new government patron.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik