star-crossed lovers


A phrase from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare; Romeo and Juliet are so described in the prologue to the play.

Notes for star-crossed lovers

“Star-crossed lovers” refers to any lovers whose affection for each other is doomed to end in tragedy.

Words Nearby star-crossed lovers

Cultural definitions for star-crossed lovers (2 of 2)

star-crossed lovers

A phrase from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare; Romeo and Juliet are so described in the prologue to the play.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

How to use star-crossed lovers in a sentence

  • Many at the baptizing remembered the first meeting of the two star-crossed lovers one autumn day long ago on Blackberry Creek.

    Blue Ridge Country | Jean Thomas
  • This was but the beginning of the tragedy of this pair of star-crossed lovers.

    Tales from Shakespeare | Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb

Cultural definitions for star-crossed lovers (1 of 2)

star-crossed lovers

A phrase from the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare; Romeo and Juliet are so described in the prologue to the play.

Notes for star-crossed lovers

“Star-crossed lovers” refers to any lovers whose affection for each other is doomed to end in tragedy.
star-crossed lovers

Lovers whose relationship is doomed to fail are said to be “star-crossed” (frustrated by the stars), because those who believe in astrology claim that the stars control human destiny. William Shakespeare used the phrase to describe the lovers in Romeo and Juliet.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.