Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Polaris"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
North \North\, a.
Lying toward the north; situated at the north, or in a
northern direction from the point of observation or
reckoning; proceeding toward the north, or coming from the
north.
{North following}. See {Following}, a., 2.
{North pole}, that point in the heavens, or on the earth,
ninety degrees from the equator toward the north.
{North preceding}. See {Following}, a., 2.
{North star}, the star toward which the north pole of the
earth very nearly points, and which accordingly seems
fixed and immovable in the sky. The star [alpha] (alpha)
of the Little Bear, is our present north star, being
distant from the pole about 1[deg] 25', and from year to
year approaching slowly nearer to it. It is called also
{Cynosura}, {polestar}, and by astronomers, {Polaris}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Polaris \Po*la"ris\, n. [NL. See {Polar}.] (Astron.)
The polestar. See {North star}, under {North}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
Polaris
n : the brightest star in Ursa Minor; at the end of the handle
of the little dipper; the northern axis of the earth
points toward it [syn: {Polaris}, {North Star}, {polar
star}, {polestar}]
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