stargazer
Americannoun
-
a person who stargazes, as an astronomer or astrologer.
-
a daydreamer.
-
an impractical idealist.
-
any of several marine fishes of the family Uranoscopidae, having the eyes at the top of the head.
Etymology
Origin of stargazer
First recorded in 1550–60; star + gazer ( def. )
Explanation
A stargazer is a trained or amateur astronomer. Your hobby of peering at the planets through a telescope makes you a stargazer! Having a degree in astronomy makes someone a stargazer, but people who recline outdoors on a summer night to watch the stars overhead can also describe themselves this way. The word, originally hyphenated, is formed from star and gazer, "someone who looks (or gazes) at something for a long time." Astrologers are also referred to as stargazers, since they observe the positions of the planets and stars in order to predict the future.
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.
Soon enough we understand its role in deciphering the woman sitting before us, centered in an opulent room with a lush bouquet of stargazer lilies behind her.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2024
“The police officers testified” that “if a stargazer wants to take a blanket or a sleeping bag out at night to watch the stars and falls asleep, you don’t arrest them.”
From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2024
A photo shows Mari’s manicured hand holding an ultrasound photo next to a white stargazer lily.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2023
The sci-fi homage sees a junior stargazer convention disrupted by world-changing events.
From BBC ● May 24, 2023
“Well, they don’t sit around reading stargazer books and eating Christmas cookies. They fly someplace exotic. On their parents’ private jet.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
