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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 That use is no longer current, but today biologists and geologists might use one of these synonyms: stellular, stellate, and stelliform.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
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 16 June 2025
But at 37 years old, and in his 18th MLB season, the future Hall of Fame left-hander can still consistently hit locations, mix his arsenal and pitch — in every meaning of the word — his way through a stellar big league outing.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Lionsgate’s John Wick spinoff Ballerina continued to struggle in its second weekend, at least in the U.S., despite stellar audience exits and solid reviews.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2025
Johnson’s highlights included him snagging an interception Tuesday while Duck impressed with some stellar pass breakups and play recognition on both days that were open to the media.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stellar
Cite this Entry
“Stellar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stellar. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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stellar
adjective
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