Did you know?
Stella, the Latin word for "star," shines brightly in the word constellation, but stella words have been favored by scientists to describe earthly things as much as heavenly bodies. Stellar was once used to mean "star-shaped." That use is no longer current, but today biologists and geologists might use one of these synonyms: stellular, stellate, and stelliform. Poets, too, have looked to stella. John Milton used stellar in its infancy when he wrote in Paradise Lost "these soft fires … shed down their stellar virtue." Stellar shot into its leading role as a synonym of star (as when we say "stellar pupil") in the late 1800s.
Examples of stellar in a Sentence
Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
Over the years, Orphan Barrel has released some stellar whiskeys like Muckety-Muck, a quarter-century-old single grain scotch whisky, and Scarlet Shade, a 14-year-old rye whiskey.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
The town earned its reputation thanks to the Citrus Golf Trail, a collection of 10 stellar courses that each offer gorgeous views and challenging design.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
Firth brings some fire to the table, putting in a stellar performance as Wardex's enigmatic leader.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stellar
Cite this Entry
“Stellar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stellar. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stellar
adjective
