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You are here: Home / Language / Where does the word “Lodestar” come from and What does Lodestone mean?

Where does the word “Lodestar” come from and What does Lodestone mean?

May 19, 2020 by Karen Hill

Obviously, lodestar indicates the star or other force or attraction that points the “lode.”

But if that isn’t clear, perhaps it should be explained that, early in our language, lode carried the meaning “way” or “course.”

Similarly, a lodestone, now more frequently spelled loadstone, was originally a piece of stone containing strongly magnetized iron which was used by mariners to point out the way, to direct them on their course.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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