Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pole star

/ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.18 in modern English

Syllables: pole s-tar
IPA: /ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/

10

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The star visible to the naked eye which was in the past, is now, or will be in the future nearest a celestial pole of a planet.

noun

A person, principle, or thing which acts as a guide; a guiding light; also, something which attracts much attention; a centre of attention.

name

Synonym of North Star, the current northern pole star, which has been Polaris for the last 1500 years.

Example Sentences

"Polaris is currently the pole star of planet Earth."
"Who can doubt that poetry will revive and lead in a new age, as the star in the constellation Harp, which now flames in our zenith, astronomers announce, shall one day be the pole-star for a thousand years?"
"But it [our hotel] has one great advantage for a stranger, by being in the market place, and the next neighbour of the huge church of St. Nicholas: […] A better pole-star could scarcely be desired."
"Love was her pole-star. What was Jason's? Only the blankness of despair."

Etymology

From pole (“either of the two points on the Earth’s surface around which it rotates; similar points on any other rotating object”) + star, possibly a calque of Latin stēllam polārem (“the Pole Star”).

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/
British English: /ˈpəʊl stɑː/

Inflected Forms

pole stars (plural) polestar (alternative) pole-star (alternative)

Phrases

north star

Frequently Paired Words

lodestar north star

Synonyms

polar star pole arctic cynosure guide star guiding star lodestar North Star

Questions

How do you pronounce pole star?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/.
What does pole star mean?: The star visible to the naked eye which was in the past, is now, or will be in the future nearest a celestial pole of a planet.
Where does pole star come from?: From pole (“either of the two points on the Earth’s surface around which it rotates; similar points on any other rotating object”) + star, possibly a calque of Latin stēllam polārem (“the Pole Star”).

How to pronounce pole star

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pole star”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpoʊl ˌstɑɹ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pole star”.
Repeat and practice — Say “pole star” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.