star anise noun

1. A Chinese evergreen tree (genus Illicium) of the magnolia family, with aromatic oil
2. The star-shaped dried seed pods of this tree, imparting an aniseed flavour when used in cookery

starˈ-apple noun

The edible fruit of the West Indian sapotaceous tree Chrysophyllum cainito

star billing noun

Prominent display of the name of a performer, etc on posters, etc

starˈ-blasting noun

The noxious influence of the stars

starˈ-brightˈ adjective

Bright as a star or with stars

starˈburst noun

A pattern of lines radiating from a central point

star catalogue noun

A list of stars, with their places, magnitudes, etc

star connection noun

A Y-shaped three-phase electrical connection

starˈ-crossed or (archaic) starˈ-crost adjective

1. Thwarted by the stars
2. Ill-fated

starˈdrift noun

A common proper motion of a number of fixed stars in the same region

starˈdust noun

1. An imaginary dust that blinds the eyes to reality and fills them with romantic illusions
2. Cosmic dust, meteoric matter in fine particles
3. Distant stars seen like dust grains

adjective

Glittering, romantic, magical

starˈfish noun

1. Any member of the Asteroidea, a class of echinoderms with five arms merging in a disc, and tube-feet on the undersurface
2. Sometimes extended to the ophiuroids

starˈflower noun

Any plant with star-shaped flowers, esp the star of Bethlehem

star fruit noun

The fruit of the carambola tree, star-shaped in cross-section

starˈ-gaze intransitive verb

starˈgazer noun

1. An astrologer
2. An astronomer
3. Someone who gazes at the sky, or in abstraction
4. A dreamer or wool-gatherer
5. A small supplementary sail set above the moonsail and skysail on a square-rigged ship
6. Any fish of the family Uranoscopidae with upward-looking eyes set on top of its head, enabling it to see when it conceals itself in the sand on the sea bottom

starˈgazey pie noun

A savoury Cornish fish pie in which whole fish are baked in pastry with their heads protruding through the crust

starˈgazing noun

star grass noun

A name for many grasslike plants with star-shaped flowers or leaf arrangement (see also star²)

star jump noun

A gymnastic exercise performed by jumping into the air and simultaneously thrusting out the legs and arms

starˈ-led adjective

Guided by a star

starˈlight noun

1. Light from the stars
2. An unknown plant, otherwise called astrophel or penthia (Spenser)

adjective

1. Of or with starlight
2. Lighted by the stars
3. Bright as a star

starˈlit adjective

Lighted by the stars

star map noun

A map showing the positions of stars

starˈmonger noun

An astrologer

star-nosed mole noun

A N American aquatic mole (Condylura cristata) with a starlike fringe of sensory tentacles around its nose

star of Bethlehem noun

A plant (genus Ornithogalum) of the lily family with yellow starlike flowers

Star of David noun

The Jewish religious symbol of a six-pointed star, Solomon's seal

star-of-the-earthˈ noun

Buck's-horn plantain, Plantago coronopus, so called because its serrated leaves radiate outwards along the ground

starˈ-pav'd adjective (Milton)

Paved with stars

starˈ-proof adjective (Milton)

Impervious to starlight

starˈ-read noun (Spenser)

Astronomy

star ruby or star sapphire noun

A ruby or sapphire manifesting asterism

starrˈy-eyed adjective

1. Out of touch with reality
2. Innocently idealistic
3. Radiantly happy

Stars and Bars singular noun

The flag of the Confederate States of America

Stars and Stripes singular noun

The flag of the United States of America, with thirteen stripes alternately red and white, and a blue field containing as many stars as there are states

star sapphire see star ruby above.

starˈ-shaped adjective

Shaped like a conventional star, with pointed rays

star shell noun

A shell that explodes high in the air, lighting up the scene

starˈshine noun

Starlight

starˈship noun

(in science fiction) a craft capable of transporting travellers across solar systems

star sign noun

A sign of the zodiac

starˈ-spangˈled adjective

Spangled or studded with stars (Star-spangled Banner the Stars and Stripes; the American national anthem)

starˈspot noun

An area of relative darkness on the surface of a star

starˈstone noun

A sapphire, ruby, or other stone showing asterism

starˈ-struck adjective

In awe of the famous

starˈ-studded adjective

1. Covered with stars
2. (of the cast of a film, play, etc) having a high proportion of famous performers

star thistle noun

A species of Centaurea with radiating spiny bracts

star trap noun

A stage trap of several wedge-shaped pieces meeting in a centre

star turn noun

1. The chief item in an entertainment
2. A pre-eminent performer

Star Wars singular noun

(also without caps) an informal term for the Strategic Defence Initiative (qv under strategy)

adjective

Denoting the technology proposed for this initiative

star wheel noun

A spur wheel with V-shaped teeth

starˈwort noun

1. Any plant of the genus Aster (not the China aster)
2. Stitchwort
3. A water plant (water starwort Callitriche)

star-ypointing /stärˈi-pointˈing/ adjective (Milton; incorrectly formed; see y- pfx)

Pointing to the stars

see stars (informal)

1. To see spots of light, as a result eg of a blow on the head
2. To be in a dazed condition

thank one's lucky stars

To consider oneself extremely fortunate