astral
Americanadjective
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pertaining to or proceeding from the stars; stellar; star-shaped.
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Biology. pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling an aster; having a discoid, radiate flower head.
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Theosophy. having to do with a substance, unperceivable by the senses, that is believed to pervade space and to constitute a nonphysical body belonging to each individual.
adjective
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relating to, proceeding from, consisting of, or resembling the stars
an astral body
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biology of or relating to the aster occurring in dividing cells
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theosophy denoting or relating to a supposed supersensible substance believed to form the material of a second body for each person, taking the form of an aura discernible to certain gifted individuals
Other Word Forms
- astrally adverb
- interastral adjective
- nonastral adjective
- subastral adjective
Etymology
Origin of astral
First recorded in 1595–1605; either from Middle French or directly from Late Latin astrālis, equivalent to Latin ast(rum) “star” (from Greek ástron ) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Astral is starlike or having to do with stars. You may wear your hair in a spiky, astral style, resembling the Statue of Liberty's crown. Astrum is Latin for "star," and it shows up in lots of familiar English words: astronomy, asteroid, astrology, even in the name of a sports stadium, the Astrodome. Astral navigation, also called celestial navigation, is the technique of finding your way by the stars. Consult your horoscope to learn what the astral influences have in store for you.
Vocabulary lists containing astral
Oh, My Stars! The Language of Outer Space
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Elements of the Universe: Aster, Astro ("Star")
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: ast, aster, astro
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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.
She claims that she and Charlie often spoke not just of politics but of more intimate matters, including shared, shall we say, spiritual capabilities—third eye, astral projecting, that kind of thing.
From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026
“That’s why mirrors are tied to other astral planes in many different cultures — they transport you to another place.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2025
Described on its website as “a celestial pathway of lustrous light, cosmic visions, and astral song,” people walk through an immersive multimedia display that takes them on an imaginative journey of stars visiting Earth.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2023
Hardy's careful log and map table were unreadable with his blood, so Reilley plotted a course home to England from the flight plan and astral navigation.
From BBC • May 5, 2023
Goldfish represented the end of the astral year.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
