Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

star       (stär)  Pronunciation Key  n.   A self-luminous celestial body consisting of a mass of gas held together by its own gravity in which the energy generated by nuclear reactions in the interior is balanced by the outflow of energy to the surface, and the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the outward-directed gas and radiation pressures. Any of the celestial bodies visible at night from Earth as relatively stationary, usually twinkling points of light. Something regarded as resembling such a celestial body. An artistic performer or athlete whose leading role or superior performance is acknowledged. One who is highly celebrated in a field or profession. An asterisk (*). The star key on a telephone: For customer service, press star. A graphic design having five or more radiating points, often used as a symbol of rank or merit. An artistic performer or athlete whose leading role or superior performance is acknowledged. One who is highly celebrated in a field or profession. An asterisk (*). The star key on a telephone: For customer service, press star. An asterisk (*). The star key on a telephone: For customer service, press star. A white spot on the forehead of a horse. A planet or constellation of the zodiac believed in astrology to influence personal destiny. stars The future; destiny. Often used with the. adj.   Outstanding or famous, especially in performing something: a star researcher; a star figure skater. Of or relating to a star or stars. v.   starred, star·ring, stars v.   tr. To ornament with stars. To award or mark with a star for excellence. To mark with an asterisk. To present or feature (a performer) in a leading role. v.   intr. To play the leading role in a theatrical or film production. To do an outstanding job; perform excellently. [Middle English sterre, from Old English steorra; see ster-3 in Indo-European roots.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
star  (n.)

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
star  (v.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

star
adjective
1.	indicating the most important performer or role; "the leading man"; "prima ballerina"; "prima donna"; "a star figure skater"; "the starring role"; "a stellar role"; "a stellar performance" [syn: leading]
noun
1.	(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
2.	someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
3.	any celestial body visible (as a point of light) from the Earth at night
4.	an actor who plays a principal role
5.	a plane figure with 5 or more points; often used as an emblem
6.	a performer who receives prominent billing [syn: headliner]
7.	a star-shaped character * used in printing [syn: asterisk]
8.	the topology of a network whose components are connected to a hub [syn: star topology]
verb
1.	feature as the star; "The movie stars Dustin Hoffman as an autistic man"
2.	be the star in a performance
3.	mark with an asterisk; "Linguists star unacceptable sentences"

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

star

In addition to the idiom beginning with star, also see born under a lucky star; see stars; thank one's lucky stars.

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

star       (stär)  Pronunciation Key  A large, spherical celestial body consisting of a mass of gas that is hot enough to sustain nuclear fusion and thus produce radiant energy. Stars begin their life cycle as clouds of gas and dust called nebulae and develop, through gravitation and accretion, into increasingly hot and dense protostars. In order to reach the temperature at which nuclear reactions are ignited (about 5 million degrees K), a protostar must have at least 80 times the mass of Jupiter. For most of its life a star fuses hydrogen into helium in its core, during which period it is known as a dwarf star and is classed according to its surface temperature and luminosity (or spectral type) on a continuum called the main sequence in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. When a star exhausts the hydrogen in its core, it typically develops into one of several non-main-sequence forms depending on how massive it is. Smaller stars, with masses less than eight times that of the Sun, become red giants and end their lives, after blowing away their outer layers, as white dwarfs. More massive stars become supergiants and end their lives, after exploding in a supernova, as either a neutron star or ablack hole. Any of the celestial bodies visible to the naked eye at night as fixed, usually twinkling points of light, including binary and multiple star systems.

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
star

An object in the sky that sends out its own light, generated by nuclear reactions in its center. There are many billions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way.

Note: Our own sun is a medium-sized star.

Note: Each star has a definite lifetime and dies when it uses up its supply of fuel. (See black hole, neutron star, supernova, and white dwarf.)

Note: All chemical elements heavier than helium are created in the center of stars and are returned to space when the star dies.

Note: New stars are forming constantly.

[Chapter:] Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Star

One of the four categories (quadrants) of the BCG growth-share matrix that represents the division within a company that has a large market share in a rapidly expanding industry.

Investopedia Commentary

A star requires investment capital to expand continually within a fast growing industry, thus maintaining its advantage. Should the industry mature with the star positioned as a leader, the star will transform into a cash cow.

See also: BCG Growth-Share Matrix, Cash Cow, Dog, Loss Leader, Porter's 5 Forces, Problem Child

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Star Junction, PA Zip code(s): 15482

Star Lake, NY (CDP, FIPS 70849) Location: 44.16017 N, 75.03754 W
Population (1990): 1092 (580 housing units)
Area: 11.5 sq km (land), 1.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 13690

Star City, WV (town, FIPS 76516) Location: 39.65936 N, 79.98659 W
Population (1990): 1251 (685 housing units)
Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 26505

Star City, IN Zip code(s): 46985

Star City, AR (city, FIPS 66440) Location: 33.94097 N, 91.84436 W
Population (1990): 2138 (863 housing units)
Area: 8.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 71667

Star Prairie, WI (village, FIPS 76825) Location: 45.19831 N, 92.53179 W
Population (1990): 507 (201 housing units)
Area: 5.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 54026

Star Tannery, VA Zip code(s): 22654

Star Harbor, TX (town, FIPS 70076) Location: 32.19375 N, 96.05574 W
Population (1990): 368 (228 housing units)
Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)

Star, ID Zip code(s): 83669

Star, NC (town, FIPS 64580) Location: 35.40046 N, 79.78422 W
Population (1990): 775 (318 housing units)
Area: 2.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 27356

Star, TX Zip code(s): 76880

Union Star, KY Zip code(s): 40171

Union Star, MO (town, FIPS 75130) Location: 39.97944 N, 94.59805 W
Population (1990): 432 (193 housing units)
Area: 0.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 64494

Silver Star, MT Zip code(s): 59751

Rising Star, TX (town, FIPS 62252) Location: 32.09732 N, 98.96573 W
Population (1990): 859 (526 housing units)
Area: 4.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 76471

Lone Star, TX (city, FIPS 43684) Location: 32.93740 N, 94.70851 W
Population (1990): 1615 (739 housing units)
Area: 5.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 75668

Lone Star, SC Zip code(s): 29077

North Star, OH (village, FIPS 57064) Location: 40.32394 N, 84.56799 W
Population (1990): 246 (84 housing units)
Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Lone Star, LA (CDP, FIPS 45267) Location: 29.92005 N, 90.34052 W
Population (1990): 1367 (483 housing units)
Area: 3.7 sq km (land), 0.4 sq km (water)

Fairbanks North Star, AK (Borough, FIPS 90) Location: 64.84632 N, 146.64339 W
Population (1990): 77720 (31823 housing units)
Area: 19068.7 sq km (land), 210.4 sq km (water)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Star

Star\ (st[aum]r), n. [OE. sterre, AS. steorra; akin to OFries. stera, OS. sterro, D. ster, OHG. sterno, sterro, G. stern, Icel. stjarna, Sw. stjerna, Dan. stierne, Goth. sta['i]rn[=o], Armor. & Corn. steren, L. stella, Gr. 'asth`r, 'a`stron, Skr. star; perhaps from a root meaning, to scatter, Skr. st[.r], L. sternere (cf. Stratum), and originally applied to the stars as being strewn over the sky, or as being scatterers or spreaders of light. [root]296. Cf. Aster, Asteroid, Constellation, Disaster, Stellar.]

1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon, comets, and nebul[ae].

His eyen twinkled in his head aright, As do the stars in the frosty night. --Chaucer.

Note: The stars are distinguished as planets, and fixed stars. See Planet, Fixed stars under Fixed, and Magnitude of a star under Magnitude.

2. The polestar; the north star. --Shak.

3. (Astrol.) A planet supposed to influence one's destiny; (usually pl.) a configuration of the planets, supposed to influence fortune.

O malignant and ill-brooding stars. --Shak.

Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury. --Addison.

4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor.

On whom . . . Lavish Honor showered all her stars. --Tennyson.

5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.

6. (Pyrotechny) A composition of combustible matter used in the heading of rockets, in mines, etc., which, exploding in the air, presents a starlike appearance.

7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading theatrical performer, etc.

Note: Star is used in the formation of compound words generally of obvious signification: as, star-aspiring, star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting, star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed, star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed; star-sprinkled, star-wreathed.

Blazing star, Double star, Multiple star, Shooting star, etc. See under Blazing, Double, etc.

Nebulous star (Astron.), a small well-defined circular nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.

Star anise (Bot.), any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so called from its star-shaped capsules.

Star apple (Bot.), a tropical American tree (Chrysophyllum Cainito), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of about sixty species, and the natural order (Sapotace[ae]) to which it belongs is called the Star-apple family.

Star conner, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.

Star coral (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of stony corals belonging to Astr[ae]a, Orbicella, and allied genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and contain conspicuous radiating septa.

Star cucumber. (Bot.) See under Cucumber.

Star flower. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Ornithogalum; star-of-Bethlehem. (b) See Starwort (b) . (c) An American plant of the genus Trientalis (Trientalis Americana). --Gray.

Star fort (Fort.), a fort surrounded on the exterior with projecting angles; -- whence the name.

Star gauge (Ordnance), a long rod, with adjustable points projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of different parts of the bore of a gun.

Star grass. (Bot.) (a) A small grasslike plant (Hypoxis erecta) having star-shaped yellow flowers. (b) The colicroot. See Colicroot.

Star hyacinth (Bot.), a bulbous plant of the genus Scilla (S. autumnalis); -- called also star-headed hyacinth.

Star jelly (Bot.), any one of several gelatinous plants (Nostoc commune, N. edule, etc.). See Nostoc.

Star lizard. (Zo["o]l.) Same as Stellion.

Star-of-Bethlehem (Bot.), a bulbous liliaceous plant (Ornithogalum umbellatum) having a small white starlike flower.

Star-of-the-earth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Plantago (P. coronopus), growing upon the seashore.

Star polygon (Geom.), a polygon whose sides cut each other so as to form a star-shaped figure.

Stars and Stripes, a popular name for the flag of the United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in a blue field, white stars to represent the several States, one for each.

With the old flag, the true American flag, the Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the chamber in which we sit. --D. Webster.

Star showers. See Shooting star, under Shooting.

Star thistle (Bot.), an annual composite plant (Centaurea solstitialis) having the involucre armed with radiating spines.

Star wheel (Mach.), a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions of some machines.

Star worm (Zo["o]l.), a gephyrean.

Temporary star (Astron.), a star which appears suddenly, shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears. These stars are supposed by some astronometers to be variable stars of long and undetermined periods.

Variable star (Astron.), a star whose brilliancy varies periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes irregularly; -- called periodical star when its changes occur at fixed periods.

Water star grass (Bot.), an aquatic plant (Schollera graminea) with small yellow starlike blossoms.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Star

Star\ (st[aum]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Starred (st[aum]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. Starring.] To set or adorn with stars, or bright, radiating bodies; to bespangle; as, a robe starred with gems. "A sable curtain starred with gold." --Young.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Star

Star\, v. i. To be bright, or attract attention, as a star; to shine like a star; to be brilliant or prominent; to play a part as a theatrical star. --W. Irving.