Etymology Map
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Star

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means a luminous point in the night sky; a famous performer

Where does the word "star" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic sternǭ, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
sternǭ
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"star"
cognate with Latin 'stella' and Greek 'astēr', as in 'astronomy'
2
Stage 2 of 3
steorra
Old English · 700s-1000s
"star"
also used for planets and comets; a comet was a 'feaxede steorra', long-haired star
3
Stage 3 of 3
star
English · 1500s
"star"
the theatre sense of a leading performer dates from the 1820s
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Read the full story

Star’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: sternǭ meant “star.” Cognate with Latin 'stella' and Greek 'astēr', as in 'astronomy'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as steorra. Also used for planets and comets; a comet was a 'feaxede steorra', long-haired star. It reached English by 1500s as star. The theatre sense of a leading performer dates from the 1820s. Today, star means a luminous point in the night sky; a famous performer.