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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Opera’s new season at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion later this month, it won’t feature the usual starburst pattern that has greeted fans for the last 63 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 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

Additionally, these NIRCam images of the very center of the starburst were obtained using an instrument mode that prevented the very bright source from overwhelming the detector.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 3, 2024

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

Suddenly, a brilliant starburst appeared straight ahead, followed by another and another.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

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

Or even the absence of diced pineapple, those sweet, sharp starbursts that are so essential to counteract a fatty protein dusted with earthy, sometimes pungent spices.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 15, 2023

They slung back their heads in slit-eyed boredom while they did each other’s hair into starbursts of astonished spikes.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver