Lodestar
/ˈloʊdˌstɑːr/noun
A star used for navigation; figuratively, a guiding principle or ideal.
Did you know?Lodestar comes from Old English lādsteorra, and the first element lād meant “a course, way, or journey,” making it a word built from direction itself.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
lādsteorra
“guide star; a star that leads travelers”
Middle English
ME
lodestar
“a guiding star used for navigation”
16th Century
English
lodestar
“a star serving as a fixed point of reference”
19th Century
English
lodestar
“a guiding principle or admired ideal”
Modern English
English
lodestar
“a star used for navigation; a guiding ideal”