lodestar

Meaning

1. A star used as a navigation reference, particularly a pole star such as Polaris.
2. (figuratively) A guiding tenet or principle.
3. A calculated amount to award as attorney's fees derived by multiplying the reasonable number of hours spent working on a case by the reasonable hourly billing rate.

Synonyms

loadstar

nonesuch

nonpareil

nonsuch

ornament

Polaris

polar star

polestar

pole-star

north star

design

pole Star

cynosure

load-star

Translations

Leitstern

stella polare

norte

poolster

πολικός αστέρας

αστέρι-οδηγός

faro

modello

leidster

ornamento

estrela guia

estrela Polar

estrela-guia

النجم القطبي

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈləʊd.stɑː(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: -

Cognate with Old Norse: leiðarstjarna

Cognate with Dutch: leidster

Cognate with German: Leitstern

Cognate with Danish: ledestjerne

Cognate with Swedish: ledstjärna

In summary

From Middle English lode (“journey, course”) + star, where lode is an archaic noun from the verb lithe (“to go, journey”), related to lead. Other Middle English spellings include: 14th century loode sterre, lood-sterre, lade-sterne; and 15th century lode sterre. Cognate with Old Norse leiðarstjarna, Dutch leidster, German Leitstern, Danish ledestjerne, Swedish ledstjärna.