star
star
Pronunciation
star: /stɑːr/
Syllable 1:
/s/ - unvoiced alveolar fricative
/t/ - unvoiced alveolar stop
/ɑː/ - open back unrounded vowel (long 'a' sound)
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: star
Plural Noun: stars
Verb (base form): star
Verb (third-person singular present): stars
Verb (present participle): starring
Verb (past tense/past participle): starred
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A luminous celestial body, typically a massive sphere of plasma producing light and heat through nuclear fusion.
Synonyms: celestial body, sun, luminary
Antonyms: (None directly applicable, as it describes a natural phenomenon)
Definition 2: A famous or exceptionally talented person, especially in the entertainment industry or sports.
Synonyms: celebrity, icon, luminary, idol, virtuoso, ace
Antonyms: nobody, amateur, novice
Definition 3: A conventionalized graphic symbol, typically having five or more points radiating from a center, used as an emblem, decoration, or indicator of quality.
Synonyms: asterisk, emblem, insignia, mark, symbol
Antonyms: (None directly applicable)
Verb
Definition 1: To feature or play the principal role in a performance, film, or show.
Synonyms: headline, lead, feature, principal
Antonyms: support, cameo, minor
Definition 2: To mark or decorate with a star or stars.
Synonyms: emblazon, mark, adorn
Antonyms: unmark, plain
Examples of Use
Books:
"Perhaps it's true, we are but a dust of stars, born from the cosmic dance and destined to return." (From Cosmos by Carl Sagan, 1980)
"She was a bright star in a dark sky, her courage shining through the adversity." (From The Giver by Lois Lowry, April 1993)
Newspapers:
"Hollywood star Emma Stone is set to appear in a new romantic comedy, sources close to the production indicate." (From The New York Times)
"The local football team's new striker is a rising star, scoring three goals in his debut match." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Scientists discover a new type of pulsaring star in the Milky Way galaxy." (From NASA.gov)
"Review: Beyoncé's latest album proves she's still the reigning pop star." (From Pitchfork)
"How to get a 5-star rating on your next Airbnb rental." (From Lonely Planet Online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." (Opening crawl of Star Wars: A New Hope, May 1977) - Here, "Star" is part of the title and concept of "Star Wars," referring to celestial bodies and intergalactic conflict.
Music: "You're a sky full of stars" (From "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay, May 2014) - This lyric uses "star" metaphorically to describe someone beautiful and awe-inspiring.
Television: "Gordon Ramsay presents a Michelin star to the winning chef on 'Hell's Kitchen.'" (Scene from Hell's Kitchen, March 2025) - "Star" here refers to a prestigious award for culinary excellence.
Video Games: "Collect all three stars in each level to unlock bonus content." (Objective in Super Mario Bros., September 1985) - "Star" functions as a collectible item indicating achievement.
General Public Discourse:
"Did you see that shooting star last night? It was incredible!" (Conversational use)
"He's been a star employee ever since he joined the company." (Workplace praise)
"I'm going to star in the school play this year." (Personal aspiration)
"This restaurant definitely deserves five stars." (Customer review)
10 Quotes Using Star
"Two things fill the mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe, the more often and the more intensely the reflection is concentrated upon them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me." (Immanuel Kant)
"The star of Bethlehem was a living entity, not a dead material one." (Edgar Cayce)
"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground." (Theodore Roosevelt)
"You are a star in your own right, and you should never let anyone dim your light." (Unknown)
"A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" (Robert Browning, from "Andrea del Sarto" - often interpreted in the context of reaching for a star or ideal)
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde, from Lady Windermere's Fan)
"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you." (Leigh Harline and Ned Washington, from "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio)
"Every star is a sun unto itself." (Pliny the Elder)
"The brightest stars are those that shine for the benefit of others." (Unknown)
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (William Shakespeare, from Hamlet - often associated with the mysteries of the stars and universe)
Etymology
The word "star" has a very ancient and interesting history! It comes from a long line of words that all mean pretty much the same thing: a shining object in the sky.
Its journey started with a really old, reconstructed language called Proto-Indo-European. This language was spoken thousands of years ago and is the ancestor of many languages we speak today, including English, Latin, Greek, and German. The word for "star" in Proto-Indo-European was *h₂stḗr. This word likely literally meant "the burning, glowing, or shining thing" or "glower, shiner."
From there, it evolved into Proto-Germanic as *sternǭ. This is the ancestor of Germanic languages.
Then, it moved into Old English (the earliest form of the English language, spoken before 1150 AD) as steorra. This is the first known use of the word in what we would recognize as English, and its meaning was pretty much the same as it is today: a celestial body appearing as a luminous point in the night sky.
So, in simple terms, "star" has always meant that bright, twinkling thing you see in the night sky, and it's been pretty consistent in its meaning for thousands of years across many different languages!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Star
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "star":
Wish upon a star: To make a wish with hope that it will come true.
See stars: To feel dizzy or lightheaded, often after a blow to the head.
Born under a lucky star: Fortunate; destined for good luck.
Thank your lucky stars: To be grateful for good fortune or for escaping danger.
Star-studded: Featuring many famous people or celebrities.
Reach for the stars: To aim high; to strive for ambitious goals.
The star of the show: The most important or prominent person or thing in a performance or event.
A rising star: A person who is becoming increasingly successful or famous.
Shoot for the moon (and you'll land among the stars): Aim for very ambitious goals, even if you don't reach the ultimate goal, you'll still achieve something great.
See how the stars align: To wait and see how circumstances develop or become favorable.
Have stars in one's eyes: To be optimistically enthusiastic or romantically infatuated.
Stargazer: Someone who observes the stars, or metaphorically, a dreamer.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of star from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
