asteria
|a-ste-ri-a|
/əˈstɪriə/
of the stars / star-related
Etymology
'asteria' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the name 'Ἀστερία' (Asteriā), where the element 'aster-' meant 'star'.
'Asteria' passed from Ancient Greek into Latin and later into scholarly and literary English as a proper name and term; over time it remained chiefly a proper name or a literary/taxonomic reference rather than becoming a common English noun.
Initially it referred to the Greek name literally meaning 'of the stars' or 'starry' and identified a mythological figure; over time the usage stayed as a proper name and occasional historical/taxonomic label rather than developing a broad common-language meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(mythology) Asteria, a Titaness in Greek mythology associated with stars, nocturnal oracles, and falling stars; sister of Leto and daughter of Coeus and Phoebe.
In the poem, Asteria is invoked as a goddess of falling stars and prophetic dreams.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(taxonomy, historical/observation) A literary or historical name sometimes used for star-shaped marine animals or in reference to taxa related to the starfish genus Asterias; usage is uncommon and often replaced by the established scientific names.
Older natural-history texts occasionally refer to certain sea-stars under the name Asteria, though modern works use Asterias or other accepted genera.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/05 18:32