starlight

American

[stahr-lahyt] / ˈstɑrˌlaɪt /

noun

the light lights emanating from the stars.

starlight British

/ ˈstɑːˌlaɪt /

noun

the light emanating from the stars

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of or like starlight
Also: starlit. illuminated by starlight

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of starlight

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; star, light ¹

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.

For many years, astronomers have believed that stellar winds from red giant stars are powered when starlight pushes against newly formed dust grains.

From Science Daily

That behavior matches what would be expected from tiny dust particles being pushed away by the pressure of starlight.

From Science Daily

Large clouds of dust can closely mimic the appearance of an exoplanet by reflecting starlight, potentially misleading astronomers.

From Science Daily

This star is surrounded by a noticeable blue glow caused by reflected starlight from nearby dust.

From Science Daily

This coordinated approach allows astronomers to find planets and brown dwarfs that would otherwise remain hidden in starlight.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023