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interstellar

interstellar

50 7.2
Relating to the space between the stars
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪntərˈstɛlər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : interestelar
  • Astronomers are studying the properties of interstellar dust that exists between the stars.
  • interstellar medium
  • interstellar cloud
  • interstellar dust

You've not seen what a true interstellar war is like, she says, have you?

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Examples

  • So what you're going to see is the interstellar travel to nearby stars.

  • Imagine that our civilisation expands to the stars and becomes an interstellar civilisation.

  • The Earth is not like the sun, and it's certainly not like interstellar space.

  • It's based on an interstellar cycle.

  • So he studied the very first known interstellar object to impact the planet.

  • So your sense is that interstellar travel will require fusion power.

  • And it's blowing this interstellar medium wind over this star.

  • But humans have created art, mathematics... and interstellar travel.

  • Generally, they do not engage in interstellar travel until they develop gravity control.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Our solar system gets an interstellar visitor, And maybe, just maybe, that visitor might stick around.

Compounds

interstellar space
  • Specialized
4 6.0

The space between stars that contains gas, dust, and small particles

interstellar medium
  • Specialized
1 7.7

The gas and dust that fill the space between stars in a galaxy

How Extraterrestrial

intergalactic
  • Specialized
38 7.7
interstellar
  • Specialized
50 7.2
planetary
  • Specialized
38 5.1
terrestrial
17 5.2

Surface Forms

interstellar positive

Morphology

interstellar = stellar (transparent) = inter + stellar

Formed by the productive prefix 'inter-' (between) plus the adjective 'stellar', so the meaning 'between stars' is directly and predictably derived.

Etymology

Interstellar breaks into inter- and stellar, where inter- means 'between', as in the word international, and stellar means 'star'. So interstellar literally means 'between the stars', which is why we use it for things that exist or happen in the space between the stars.