Here's a breakdown:
* Κυνός (Kynos) means "dog" in Greek.
* οὐρά (oura) means "tail" in Greek.
So, literally, "Kynosoura" means "dog's tail."
The connection to the constellation Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) comes from the myth that the star Polaris, the North Star, was once a dog's tail.
Over time, "cynosure" evolved to mean "something that attracts attention" or "a point of attraction," similar to how the North Star was a point of reference for sailors.