starburst

American  

[stahr-burst] / ˈstɑrˌbɜrst /

noun

starbursts plural

1. a pattern of lines or rays radiating from a central point.

2. Astronomy. an intense and sudden episode of star formation in a galaxy.

3. Photography. a camera lens attachment that produces star shapes of reflected light.

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starburst British  

/ ˈstɑːˌbɜːst /

noun

1. a pattern of rays or lines radiating from a light source

2. photog a lens attachment which produces a starburst effect

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starburst Scientific  

/ stär′bûrst′ /

1. The rapid formation of large numbers of new stars in a galaxy at a rate high enough to alter the structure of the galaxy significantly. Starburst galaxies, which are very luminous, form stars at rates that are between tens and hundreds of times faster than those of ordinary galaxies. Initial star formation is believed to be brought on by violent events such as collisions, or near collisions, with other galaxies, in which shockwaves cause the gases in the interstellar medium to collapse into protostars. The resulting stars are generally massive and short-lived. These stars become supernovae that create further shock waves, triggering yet more star formation.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• starbursts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of starburst

First recorded in 1830–40, for an earlier sense; 1950–55 starburst for def. 1; 1980–85 starburst for def. 2; 1965–70 starburst for def. 3; star ( def. ) + burst ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

starburst starbursts

According to the team, compact, dust-rich starburst galaxies undergoing rapid star formation could contribute a substantial share of the high-energy neutrino background.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026

Touches of Midcentury Modern kitsch include a starburst clock on the restaurant’s roadside sign, marking its place along Route 66.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

Touches of Midcentury Modern kitsch, especially a starburst clock on the restaurant’s roadside sign, marks its place along Route 66.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

Fans and authors mingled in a brand new Science Fiction Museum, designed by the prestigious Zaha Hadid Architects in the shape of a huge steel starburst over a lake.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2024

She is undaunted, and our weapons crash together in a starburst of sparks.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

To her right stood Brandon Ross, whose searing yet disarmingly tender electric guitar tones built like waves, exploded like starbursts or sketched lines of staggering intricacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

It would also give astronomers new insights into starbursts and their effects.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 8, 2024

AR use was at times visually busy: insects and starbursts appeared tangential to the action, and there were a few instances of slight judder.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2023

The simulations also revealed a new discovery: a connection between alternative dark matter types and starbursts, periods of extremely rapid star formation inside a galaxy.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 20, 2023

Those colors were scary, so she brushed them over with fuchsia starbursts and flowers with cobalt stems and a house nestled among gold-and-emerald-striped branches.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake