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.
Nolan won two Oscars in 2024 for his last release, Oppenheimer, and also is known for films including Dunkirk, Inception, Interstellar and The Dark Knight.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Researchers are now planning to study even older ice cores from a time before the Solar System entered the Local Interstellar Cloud.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
The star of "Interstellar" and "Dallas Buyers Club" is no opponent of generative artificial intelligence.
From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026
Right before the final, Norton is also starring in a new episode of Doctor Who, taking his Eurovision commentary duties to an Interstellar Song Contest.
From BBC • May 11, 2025
If the Interstellar Council had known what Norris was up to, it would have been a case for the Space-Time Commission.
From The Long Voyage by Jacobi, Carl Richard
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.
