stellar English · revision 39788

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1656, T. Blount, Glossographia|origins=la stēlla}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /ˈstɛl.ə/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /ˈstɛl.əɹ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|stēllāris|t=of a star, starry]],^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1995)^(AHD 2024)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|stēlla|t=star]] with the adjective suffix that became [[-ar]].^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Dictionary.com 2016) The Latin noun is from [[m|la|*sterla]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(Skeat 1911) from the Indo-European root of [[star]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2024) and is related to [[grc|ἀστήρ|tr=astḗr|t=star]], [[got|𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌽𐍉|tr=stairnō]] and [[ang|steorra]].^(Klein 1966)^(MW Word Histories) The OED compares [[m|fr|stellaire]], [[m|it|stellare]] and [[m|es|estrellar]].^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Relating to the stars or a star: 1656, in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'',^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) and Johnson (1755) quotes Milton for "stellar virtue".^(Johnson 1755)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1670 the adjective also meant star-shaped, chiefly of crystals, and in architecture of a vault ribbed like a star.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Johnson 1755) The sense "leading, outstanding" (1883), originally and chiefly American, comes from the theatrical sense of [[star]], a leading performer:^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster records both the use for a film or stage star and the use for a chief role.^(MWU 2024) Campus slang made ''stellar'' a general word of praise, "excellent, wonderful", recorded from 1986;^(GDoS) Collins labels the sense "outstanding or immense" as informal.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1656 – relating to the stars.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1670 – star-shaped.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1883 – leading, outstanding.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1986 – (slang) excellent.^(GDoS)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of, relating to or consisting of [[star|alt=stars]]: ''stellar evolution''.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Relating to star [[performer|alt=performers]]; [[leading]]: ''The play has a stellar cast.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # (informal) Outstanding or exceptionally good: ''She gave a stellar performance in the final.''^(Collins 2023)^(GDoS)

+ # Shaped like a star; [[stellate]].^(OED 2026)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[circumstellar]]

+ * [[quasar]]

+ * [[stellarator]]

+ * [[transstellar]]

+ * [[interstellar]]

+ * [[quasi-stellar object]]

+ * [[quasi-stellar radio source]]

+ * [[stellar wind]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[star]]

+ * [[stellate]]

+ * [[constellation]]

+ * [[astral]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}