interstellar
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of interstellar
Explanation
If something happens or is located in between stars, it's interstellar. If you dream of interstellar travel, you're imagining flying through space — and maybe meeting a few extraterrestrials along the way. The area inside a galaxy is often referred to by astronomers as interstellar space. In fact, the adjective interstellar is frequently used in a general way as a synonym for "outer space" or "between solar systems." So if an astronaut is planning an interstellar trip, she may be traveling in space, but she's not literally making a journey from one star to another. The roots of interstellar are inter-, "between," and the Latin stella, or "star."
Vocabulary lists containing interstellar
Oh, My Stars! The Language of Outer Space
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Oh, My Stars! A Solstice Sampler
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Space Science (Astronomy) - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the team, the results strongly point to the Local Interstellar Cloud as the source of the radioactive material.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
In a lengthy interview last month with Matthew McConaughey, his on-screen dad from 2014's Interstellar, Chalamet was apparently trying make the point that he didn't want cinemagoing to become a minority pursuit.
From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026
The star of "Interstellar" and "Dallas Buyers Club" is no opponent of generative artificial intelligence.
From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026
Interstellar gas and dust coalesce in the rotation of a spiral galaxy, promoting star formation along its arms.
From New York Times • May 23, 2024
"Well, I wanted Tom, penniless or not; and anyway, in a few years he's going to be the finest lawyer in the Interstellar Courts."
From The Star Lord by Ellanby, Boyd
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
