stargazer

American  

[stahr-gey-zer] / ˈstɑrˌgeɪ zər /

noun

1. a person who stargazes, as an astronomer or astrologer.

2. a daydreamer.

3. an impractical idealist.

4. any of several marine fishes of the family Uranoscopidae, having the eyes at the top of the head.

5. sand stargazer.

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Etymology

Origin of stargazer

First recorded in 1550–60; star + gazer ( def. )

Explanation

A stargazer is a trained or amateur astronomer. Your hobby of peering at the planets through a telescope makes you a stargazer! Having a degree in astronomy makes someone a stargazer, but people who recline outdoors on a summer night to watch the stars overhead can also describe themselves this way. The word, originally hyphenated, is formed from star and gazer, "someone who looks (or gazes) at something for a long time." Astrologers are also referred to as stargazers, since they observe the positions of the planets and stars in order to predict the future.

Example Sentences

“The police officers testified” that “if a stargazer wants to take a blanket or a sleeping bag out at night to watch the stars and falls asleep, you don’t arrest them.”

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2024

She plays a 1950s movie icon - think Bette Davis - in the story of a fictional American desert town where a junior stargazer convention is disrupted by world-changing events.

From BBC • May 15, 2023

As any halfway proficient stargazer will tell you, there are so many satellites and man-made debris in orbit around the Earth that it is impossible to observe the wonders of the universe without distraction.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2023

Then a stargazer watching the camera’s livestream on YouTube sent him a screenshot of the spiral using an online messaging platform.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 27, 2023

“Well, they don’t sit around reading stargazer books and eating Christmas cookies. They fly someplace exotic. On their parents’ private jet.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• astronomer