aster

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aster-

(word root) star

Examples of words with the root aster-: asteroid

as·ter

(ăs′tər)

1. Any of various plants of the genus Aster or closely related genera in the composite family, having radiate flower heads with white, pink, or violet rays and usually a yellow disk.

2. The China aster.

3. Biology A star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of an animal cell during mitosis, having raylike microtubules that surround the centrosome.

[Latin astēr, a type of plant, from Greek, star, type of daisy; see ster- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

aster

(ˈæstə)

1. (Plants) any plant of the genus Aster, having white, blue, purple, or pink daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites). Compare golden aster

2. (Plants) China aster a related Chinese plant, Callistephus chinensis, widely cultivated for its showy brightly coloured flowers

3. (Biology) cytology a group of radiating microtubules that surrounds the centrosome before and during mitosis

[C18: from New Latin, from Latin aster star, from Greek]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

as•ter

(ˈæs tər)

n.

1. any composite plant of the genus Aster, having rays varying from white or pink to blue around a yellow disk.

2. a plant of some allied genus, as the China aster.

3. a structure formed in a cell during mitosis, composed of astral rays radiating about the centrosome.

[1595–1605; < Latin < Greek astḗr star]

-aster¹

a suffix used to form nouns denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing: criticaster; poetaster.

[< Latin]

-aster²

a combining form with the meaning “star”: cotoneaster.

[< Greek astḗr star; compare astro-]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	aster - any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowers flower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms genus Aster - large genus of herbs widely cultivated for their daisylike flowers wood aster - any of several asters of eastern North America usually growing in woods Aster acuminatus, whorled aster - North American perennial with apparently whorled leaves and showy white purple-tinged flowers Aster arenosus, heath aster - common North American perennial with heathlike foliage and small white flower heads Aster dumosus, bushy aster - stiff perennial of the eastern United States having small linear leaves and numerous tiny white flower heads Aster ericoides, heath aster - common much-branched North American perennial with heathlike foliage and small starry white flowers Aster falcatus, white prairie aster - perennial of western North America having white flowers Aster linarifolius, stiff aster - wiry tufted perennial of the eastern United States with stiff erect rough stems, linear leaves and large violet flowers Aster linosyris, goldilocks, goldilocks aster, Linosyris vulgaris - early-flowering perennial of southern and southeastern Europe with flower heads resembling those of goldenrod Aster novae-angliae, New England aster - common perennial of eastern North America having showy purplish flowers; a parent of the Michaelmas daisy Aster novi-belgii, Michaelmas daisy, New York aster - North American perennial herb having small autumn-blooming purple or pink or white flowers; widely naturalized in Europe Aster ptarmicoides, upland white aster - tufted rigid North American perennial with loose clusters of white flowers Aster shortii, Short's aster - perennial of southeastern United States having usually blue flowers Aster tripolium, sea aster, sea starwort - a common European aster that grows in salt marshes Aster turbinellis, prairie aster - violet-flowered perennial aster of central United States having solitary heads annual salt-marsh aster - a variety of aster aromatic aster - a variety of aster arrow leaved aster - a variety of aster azure aster - a variety of aster bog aster - a variety of aster crooked-stemmed aster - a variety of aster Eastern silvery aster - a variety of aster flat-topped white aster - a variety of aster late purple aster - a variety of aster panicled aster - a variety of aster perennial salt marsh aster - a variety of aster purple-stemmed aster - a variety of aster rough-leaved aster - a variety of aster rush aster - a variety of aster Schreiber's aster - a variety of aster small white aster - a variety of aster smooth aster - a variety of aster southern aster - a variety of aster calico aster, starved aster - a variety of aster tradescant's aster - a variety of aster wavy-leaved aster - a variety of aster Western silvery aster - a variety of aster willow aster - a variety of aster
	2.	aster - star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell having fibers like rays that surround the centrosome during mitosis anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure - a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing; "he has good bone structure"

Translations

Aster

astro

aster

[ˈæstəʳ] N → áster f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

aster

n → Aster f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

aster

[ˈæstəʳ] n → astro della Cina

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

There were the rolling meadows, the stately elms, all yellow and brown now; the glowing maples, the garden-beds bright with asters, and the hollyhocks, rising tall against the parlor windows; only in place of the cheerful pinks and reds of the nodding stalks, with their gay rosettes of bloom, was a crape scarf holding the blinds together, and another on the sitting-room side, and another on the brass knocker of the brown-painted door.

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The sea was roaring hollowly in the distance, the fields were bare and sere, scarfed with golden rod, the brook valley below Green Gables overflowed with asters of ethereal purple, and the Lake of Shining Waters was blue -- blue -- blue; not the changeful blue of spring, nor the pale azure of summer, but a clear, steadfast, serene blue, as if the water were past all moods and tenses of emotion and had settled down to a tranquility unbroken by fickle dreams.

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Pale asters were blowing in the sere and misty meadows between them and the harbor.

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It was a telegram to the sailing-m aster of the yacht, informing him that we had arranged to return to Ramsgate that evening, and that we should be ready to sail for the Mediterranean with the next tide.

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"I hate to think I've got to grow up, and be Miss March, and wear long gowns, and look as prim as a China Aster! It's bad enough to be a girl, anyway, when I like boy's games and work and manners!

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And the sound of his voice seemed to Bessie to make the night itself mad--to pour insanity and dis- aster on the earth.

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Instead, we grow several asters which, at this time of year, give huge clouds of lilting colour accompanied by healthy, rich-green foliage with never a trace of mildew.

IT ASTER BE ADMIRED; RIGHT AT HOMEAs the weather turns and the nights close in, enormous clouds of blue asters burst into bloom, cheerfully mixing and mingling. As the weather turns and the nights close in, enormous clouds of blue asters burst into bloom, cheerfully mixing and mingling

There are enough trouble-free asters to suit every taste.

Master CLASS Master CLASS; As the weather turns and the nights close in, enormous clouds of blue asters burst into bloom, cheerfully mixing and mingling

The spores of powdery mildew that find so easy to settle on the smooth foliage of Aster novae-belgii cannot get a foothold on the bristly leaves of New England asters.

white dusty suit daisies and Master CLASS Master CLASS; As the weather turns and the nights close in, enormous clouds of blue asters burst into bloom, cheerfully mixing and mingling

There are enough troublefree asters here to suit every taste.

Aster la vista; As the weather turns and the nights close in, enormous clouds of blue asters burst into bloom, cheerfully mixing and mingling around; GARDENING CLUB

The sudden onset of winter is unpredictable, frost not knocking over my asters until last week when sometimes it's a month earlier.

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