adjective
stellar
STEL-er/ˈstelər/
Pertaining to stars.
The illustration shows a stellar surface surrounded by distant stars.
Etymology
Stellar originally meant “pertaining to stars.” Its meaning “exceptionally good” developed through the theatrical use of star for a leading performer, turning a celestial description into praise.
In context
hartman gets knocked down at the 19-yard line a loss of two oh boy oh boy oh boy this is not what we'd call stellar offense by any means
More examples
- Stellar winds carry gas away from a star.
- The course covers stellar evolution, from a star’s birth to its death.
- Scientists estimate stellar temperatures by examining the colors of stars.
Forms
stellar
Similar words
- astronomical
- Relates to objects and phenomena in space, not just stars.
- solar
- Relates specifically to the sun rather than stars generally.