Vocabulary - Today's Word "cynosure"

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Today's Word "cynosure"

cynosure \SY-nuh-shoor; SIN-uh-shoor\ (noun) - 1 : Anything to which attention is strongly turned; a center of attraction. 2 : That which serves to guide or direct. 3 : [Capitalized]. The northern constellation Ursa Minor, which contains the North Star; also, the North Star itself.

"They would be the cynosure of all eyes. What was a cynosure and why was it never mentioned except in reference to eyes?" -- Ngaio Marsh, 'False Scent'

Cynosure derives from Latin cynosura, from Greek kunosoura, "dog's tail, the constellation Ursa Minor," from kuon, kun-, "dog" + oura, "tail."

This news arrived on: 08/11/2008

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