lodestar

noun

lode·​star ˈlōd-ˌstär How to pronounce lodestar (audio)
variants or less commonly loadstar
1
archaic : a star that leads or guides
especially : north star
2
: one that serves as an inspiration, model, or guide

Did you know?

If you’re looking for inspiration, lodestar may represent the mother lode. The literal, albeit archaic, meaning of lodestar is “a star that leads or guides”; it is a term that has been used especially in reference to the North Star, a star in the Ursa Minor, or Little Dipper, constellation. The lode in both lodestar and mother lode comes from the Middle English word for “course” (lode is still used in some parts of England to mean “waterway”). Both the starry sense of lodestar and the more earthly “something or someone that leads or guides a person or group of people” meaning date back to the 14th century, the time of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who used both in his work. The literal sense had mostly fallen out of use by the early 17th century, but the figurative use shines on.

Examples of lodestar in a Sentence

The idea of public service has been a lodestar for her throughout her life. a society seemingly with unbridled greed as its only lodestar
Recent Examples on the Web That was where her parents were born, and for her, the idea of a Palestinian home had become a lodestar. Rozina Ali, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 If Netflix was the lodestar for the first round of the streaming wars, YouTube appears to be the target for round two. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Jan. 2024 Accuracy to the real-life Von Erichs was the lodestar, says Rose, who frequently consulted archival photos, documentaries, and match footage. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2023 Lear was the lodestar for the television industry in a way almost nobody else has ever been. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2023 For most of the past four decades, economic development has been the Chinese government’s lodestar. Jeremy Wallace, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2022 All this said, with its disco beats, hi-hat rhythms, full string sections, and deeply personal narrative, Russell’s The Returner is a new lodestar in the Americana space that’s certain to make its impact felt widely in the next few years. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023 But the man who served as their spiritual lodestar, who strode with purpose through their dreams and desires, operated in the Elizabethan years. Chris Vognar, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023 What ties everything together at Sha is nutrition, its lodestar. Mary Holland, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lodestar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lode sterre, from lode course, from Old English lād

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lodestar was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near lodestar

Cite this Entry

“Lodestar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lodestar. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lodestar

noun
lode·​star
variants also loadstar
ˈlōd-ˌstär
: a star that leads or guides
especially : north star

Legal Definition

lodestar

noun
lode·​star
ˈlōd-ˌstär
: the amount obtained by multiplying the reasonable amount of hours spent by an attorney working on a case by the reasonable hourly billing rate for purposes of calculating an award of attorney's fees
Etymology

perhaps from the notion of the lodestar as a guiding light or principle

More from Merriam-Webster on lodestar

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