Ursa Minor Definition

noun

A constellation having the shape of a ladle with Polaris at the tip of its handle.

American Heritage

A N constellation surrounded by Draco and containing the north celestial pole and the Little Dipper; the Little Bear or the Bear.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

pronoun

(astronomy) A circumpolar constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a bear. It includes the familiar asterism the Little Dipper and, as part of it, the northern pole star Polaris.

Wiktionary

Origin of Ursa Minor

Latin ursa she-bear, bear feminine of ursus bear ursine minor lesser minor

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Latin ursa minor (“(the) lesser bear").

From Wiktionary