Where does “cynosure” come from?
Cynosure comes from French cynosure, from Latin Cynosura, from Ancient Greek Κυνόσουρα, literally "dog's tail," from κύων meaning dog and κύω meaning to be pregnant, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁-.
cynosure (English): Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a...
Definitions
- Ursa Minor or Polaris, the North Star, used as a...
Ancestry of “cynosure”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | Cynosure | Ursa Minor |
| 2 | Latin | Cynosūra | Ursa Minor |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | Κυνόσουρα | Ursa Minor |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κύων | a dog; a bitch; an offensive person |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μῦς | mouse; A type of mussel; A type of whale |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | *mū́s | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | múHs | mouse |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | múh₂s | mouse |