starlight

American

[stahr-lahyt] / ˈstɑrˌlaɪt /

noun

the light 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; see origin at 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.

"When we compared the spectra during the transit to the baseline, we saw that the atmosphere blocked the wavelengths of starlight absorbed by methane," Bello-Arufe said.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Several planets receive levels of starlight similar to what Earth gets from the Sun.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

When the planet passes in front of its star, some of the starlight passes through the planet's atmosphere, carrying information about its composition.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2026

One key step is giving your eyes time to adjust to faint starlight.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

He saw pictures of dragons and a volcano and even a little girl with hair like starlight.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

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