Starlight
ˈstɑːrlaɪt
Definitions
The light that comes from the stars.
ˈstɑːrlaɪt
The light emitted by stars.
The starlight illuminated the dark path.
💡 Simply: Starlight is like the glow-in-the-dark from a bunch of giant lightbulbs way, way, way up in the sky. It's pretty dim, but it can still help you see a little bit at night, like when you're camping and trying to find your way to the campfire.
👶 For kids: The light that stars make.
More Examples
We admired the beauty of the starlight on a clear night.
The telescope allowed us to gather more starlight than usual.
How It's Used
"Scientists analyze starlight to determine the composition of distant stars."
"The lovers met under the soft glow of starlight."
"We could barely see anything in the woods because of the starlight."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
reach for the stars
To aim high; to strive for ambitious goals; to aspire to achieve great things.
"Despite the challenges, she encouraged her students to reach for the stars."
star-crossed lovers
Two people whose relationship is doomed or fated to end badly; lovers whose relationship is opposed by fate or circumstance.
"The novel told the story of star-crossed lovers whose families were enemies."
From Old English *steorrlīht* (star-light), a combination of 'star' and 'light'.
The term 'starlight' has been used consistently throughout literature to evoke a sense of beauty, mystery, and romanticism, particularly from the Romantic era onwards.
Memory tip
Think of the light that twinkles from the stars at night.
Word Origin
"star (from *steorra*) + light (*līht*)"