starlike

American  

[stahr-lahyk] / ˈstɑrˌlaɪk /

adjective

1. of the shape of or like a star.

2. shining like a star.

3. Mathematics. Also (of a set with respect to a point) having the property that the line segment connecting a given point and any other point in a region lies completely within the region.

---

Etymology

Origin of starlike

First recorded in 1585–95; star + -like

Example Sentences

In addition to glossy, sometimes multicolored leaves, hoyas produce waxy starlike blooms.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2023

The glowing gold stars are astrocytes: these cells control the permeability of the blood-brain barrier and are named for their starlike shape.

From Scientific American • Aug. 26, 2022

A pitch-black background is speckled with thousands of distinct lights, some starlike in their brilliance, others smudgy, and still others smaller than pinpoints.

From Washington Post • Jul. 12, 2022

He took the tradition of throwing salt into the oven farther, making it part of his seasoning process, and he shaped the dough differently, wrinkling it so it puffed into soft, starlike tips.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2022

Because they are starlike in appearance, they were naturally thought to be stars within our own galaxy.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan