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definitions

aster

[as-ter]
|

noun

any composite plant of the genus Aster, having rays varying from white or pink to blue around a yellow disk.
a plant of some allied genus, as the China aster.
Cell Biology. a structure formed in a cell during mitosis, composed of astral rays radiating about the centrosome.
Furniture. sunflower(def 2).

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Origin of aster

1595–1605; < Latin < Greek astḗr star

-aster

1

a diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing: criticaster; poetaster, oleaster.

Origin of -aster

1
From Latin

-aster

2

Chiefly Biology. a combining form with the meaning “star,” used in the formation of compound words: diaster.

Origin of -aster

2
< Greek astḗr star; cf. astro-
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for aster

Historical Examples of aster

British Dictionary definitions for aster

aster

noun

any plant of the genus Aster, having white, blue, purple, or pink daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites)Compare golden aster
China aster a related Chinese plant, Callistephus chinensis, widely cultivated for its showy brightly coloured flowers
cytology a group of radiating microtubules that surrounds the centrosome before and during mitosis

Word Origin for aster

C18: from New Latin, from Latin aster star, from Greek

-aster

suffix forming nouns

a person or thing that is inferior or bears only a poor resemblance to what is specifiedpoetaster

Word Origin for -aster

from Latin: suffix indicating imperfect resemblance
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for aster
n.

flower genus, 1706, from Latin aster "star" (see star (n.)); so called for the radiate heads of the flowers. Originally used in English in the Latin sense (c.1600) but this is obsolete.

-aster

word-forming element expressing incomplete resemblance (e.g. poetaster), usually diminutive and deprecatory, from Latin, from Greek -aster, suffix originally forming nouns from verbs ending in -azein, later generalized as a pejorative suffix, e.g. Greek patraster "he who plays the father."

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for aster

aster

[ăs′tər]

n.

astrosphere
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.