star

star in allusive or proverbial use, a type of brightness and remoteness, or as representing an innumerable host or multitude.

A star is the emblem of St Dominic, St Thomas Aquinas, St Vincent Ferrer, and St Nicholas of Tolentino.

In astrology, the stars denote the planets and zodiacal constellations which are supposed to influence human affairs or (from their position at the time of a person's birth) affect their destiny.
Star Chamber an English court of civil and criminal jurisdiction that developed in the late 15th century, trying especially those cases affecting the interests of the Crown. It was noted for its arbitrary and oppressive judgements and was abolished in 1641. The name may have come from decorative stars on the ceiling of the room in which the court was originally held.
star-crossed thwarted by bad luck; often with allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet ‘a pair of star-crossed lovers’.
Star Dust the name of a British Lancastrian civil aircraft which in 1947 disappeared mysteriously in a flight from Buenos Aires to Santiago in Chile. Despite many searches nothing more was heard of the plane until January 2000, when wreckage was found in the Andes. It is now thought that the plane crashed into a glacier, from which its remains have finally begun to emerge. (See also Stendec.)
Star of Bethlehem a plant of the lily family with star-shaped flowers which typically have green stripes on the outer surface, found in temperate regions of the Old World.
Star of David a six-pointed figure consisting of two interlaced equilateral triangles, used as a Jewish and Israeli symbol; the Magen David.
Star of the Sea a title of the Virgin Mary, an English translation of Stella Maris.
the Star-spangled Banner a song written in 1814 with words composed by Francis Scott Key (1779–1843) and a tune adapted from that of a popular English drinking song, To Anacreon in Heaven. It was officially adopted as the US national anthem in 1931.
Star Trek the title of a cult science-fiction drama series created by Gene Roddenberry (1921–91); the series chronicled ‘the voyages of the starship Enterprise’, whose five-year mission was ‘to boldly go where no man has gone before’, and which was commanded by Captain James Kirk.
Star Wars the title of the first (1977) of a trio of films by George Lucas; the films told the story of the young Luke Skywalker who with the training of Obi-Wan Kenobi, last of the Jedi knights, plays the key role in resisting the Imperial forces under the command of Darth Vader. Star Wars was also the popular name for Strategic Defense Initiative, a projected US system of defence against nuclear weapons, proposed by President Reagan in 1983, using satellites armed with lasers to intercept and destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles.

See also born under a lucky star, morning star, one's star is rising, shooting star, stars, yellow star.