Dictionary.com/Word of the Day: cynosure

Once in a while I see a completely unknown (to me) word of the day, or more often one that I've heard but am not sure of its meaning. Today's word is the former for me, a word I did not know: cynosure.
cynosure \SY-nuh-shoor; SIN-uh-shoor\, noun:

1. Anything to which attention is strongly turned; a center of attraction.
2. That which serves to guide or direct.
3. [Capitalized]. The northern constellation Ursa Minor, which contains the North Star; also, the North Star itself.