Where does “cynosure” come from?
cynosure (French) comes from Middle French Cynosure, from Latin Cynosūra, from Ancient Greek Κυνόσουρα, from Ancient Greek κύων, from Ancient Greek μῦς, from Proto-Hellenic *mū́s, from Proto-Indo-Iranian múHs, from Proto-Indo-European múh₂s — mouse.
cynosure (French): Ursa Minor; Polaris
Definitions
- Ursa Minor; Polaris
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 |