Polaris
/poʊˈlɛərɪs/noun
The North Star, the bright star nearest the north celestial pole.
Did you know?Polaris comes from Latin *stella polaris*, meaning “pole star,” and its name preserves the idea of a star guarding the celestial axis, a concept used for navigation for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
polaris
“of or belonging to a pole”
Late Latin
Latin
stella polaris
“pole star”
Old French
Old French
polaris
“of the pole”
Middle English
English
polarie / polar
“pertaining to the pole”
Modern English
English
Polaris
“the North Star”