lodestone
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\n \n Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 13, 2024 is:\n \n
\n \n\n lodestone • \\LOHD-stohn\\ • noun
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When used literally, lodestone refers to the mineral magnetite, a magnetic iron ore. Lodestone is also used figuratively to refer to something that, like a magnet, strongly attracts things.
\n\n// The city is a lodestone for aspiring musicians of all genres.
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\u201cHer [Britney Spears\u2019] quest to please a growing constituency was a savvy balancing act; she understood what was expected of a teen star at the time: family-friendly entertainment that didn\u2019t rock anyone\u2019s boat. \u2026 Spears handled this feat impressively well in those years. She became a vessel for our intense emotions, but in the process, she would also become a lodestone for criticism of an entire generation\u2019s tastes and habits.\u201d \u2014 Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2021
\n \n \n\n Did you know?
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The word lodestone is sometimes confused, understandably, with the similar-sounding lodestar. Both combine lode, which comes from the Old English noun l\u0101d, meaning \u201ccourse,\u201d with another word with ancient Old English roots: stone (from st\u0101n) and star (from steorra), respectively. Both lodestone and lodestar also refer to things\u2014both literal and figurative\u2014with the power to inspire or compel movement. But while a lodestar is something that leads the way (e.g., a moral principle that guides a person through life), a lodestone draws things toward itself. Sometimes lodestone refers to an actual magnet; indeed, its original use in the early 16th century was as a synonym for magnetite. But it didn\u2019t take long for lodestone to attract a metaphorical sense. Today a business district might be a lodestone for entrepreneurs, or a lottery-playing friend (with the promise of riches as their lodestar) a lodestone\u2014they hope\u2014for good luck.
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