rock star

noun

plural rock stars

1

: a famous rock musician

From my standpoint, from '72 to '76, I was the ultimate rock star. I couldn't have been more of a rock star. Anything that had to do with being a rock 'n' roll singer was what I was going for.

—David Bowie

He's what I always thought rock stars should be: sexy, dangerous, outrageous, and funny. And at least a little self-aware.

—Doug Brod

2

: a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field

Locals came streaming across a muddy construction site on the Cooper River to catch a glimpse of the rock star of politics.

—Howard Fineman

The Colchester Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education are the rock stars of our town's elected government.

—Jason Cohen

For the agency, whose mission is building soil health, Brandt [David Brandt, farmer] has emerged as a kind of rock star. He's a "step ahead of the game."

—Tom Philpott

Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.

—David G Fleming

… the day of the celebrity chef is seriously upon us. Chefs have become the rock stars of their generation, and we all long to know them better.

—Ruth Reichl

Examples of rock star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The core of Cauthen resides in this delicate balance between rock star stage act and an artist using his platform for connectivity and understanding between groups of division, hate, and miscommunication. —Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2024

The family just so happens to be housing their recently sober-ish rock star friend, Jimmy, from a band called Running Water. —Liz Riggs, Peoplemag, 9 July 2024

And Gretchen Whitmer for veep because together those two ladies would be rock stars! —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 2 July 2024

Once a niche experience, with shows attended by select clients, important editors, and the fashion faithful, seats were now being filled by actors, rock stars, and athletes. —Ivan Shaw, Vogue, 18 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1