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.
By keeping the action and themes largely Earthbound and removing the interstellar glamour associated with flying supes and suits, “Lanterns” reignites our consideration of a superhero long written off in the live-action realm.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
The result gives astronomers a broader view of stars, interstellar gas, and distant galaxies throughout the cosmos.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Like the two interstellar objects identified before it, 3I/ATLAS offers unusual opportunities for both astronomy and astrobiology.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
Asteroids and comets preserve leftover material from the formation of planetary systems, so an object arriving from interstellar space may contain clues about conditions around another star.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
But the persistence of the memory of the human species will be far longer in the impressed metal grooves on the Voyager interstellar record.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
