blue starn.
/ˌbluː ˈstɑː/, U.S. /ˈblu ˈstɑr/ U.S.
A blue-coloured representation of a star displayed in honour of a family or community member serving in the armed forces during wartime. Cf. gold star n. 2, service flag n. at service n.1 Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > indication > insignia > [noun] > specific emblems, badges, or cognizances > others
cocklestone1591
Rosy Cross1621
toison d'or1704
greyhound1747
foul anchor1754
red cross1866
Geneva cross1870
Tammany tiger1871
fasces1889
waist-plate1902
blue star1917
gold star1917
red ribbon1990
1917 N.Y. Tribune 25 Aug. 10/6 The flags have a background of red with a white centre containing one blue star for each man fighting.
1943 Billboard 3 Apr. 28/2 The flag, which in addition to the blue star and the number 63 has a gold star in honor of the deceased member.
1973 Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner 7 Aug. 7/4 The Blue Star Memorial Highway takes its name from the blue star in the service flag.
2009 W. Pencak Encycl. Veteran in Amer. 104/1 Proud parents of service members began displaying blue stars in their front windows.
Compounds
attributive. Designating a relative, esp. the mother, of a person serving in the armed forces during wartime. Cf. gold star n. Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1918 Chicago Tribune 10 Oct. 5/6 Gold star mothers are to head the women's organization and blue star mothers will be out by thousands.
1942 P. Wylie Generation of Vipers xi. 192 I have seen the unmistakeable evidence in a blue star mom of envy of a gold star mom.
1943 Sunday Times-Signal (Zanesville, Ohio) 19 Dec. ii. 2/4 Blue star fathers, also, will have some part in the evening's arrangements.
1970 Daily Chron. (Centralia, Washington) 17 Nov. 3/6 Mrs. Risher is a blue star mother of five.
2004 J. Moore Bush's War for Reelection xiii. 262 If the Johnsons were on stage as Blue Star parents, why weren't the Estrella-Sotos?
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2015; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1917