Stars and Bars
- noun
- /stɑrz ənd bɑrz/
:
Stars and Bars
- The first national flag of the Southern Confederacy, colloquially referred to as the "Stars and Bars," resembled the American flag; accordingly, many Confederates considered it uninspiring.
- Stars and Bars Confederate
Examples
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Many people associate the Stars and Bars with the early years of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
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During the March 2 referendum, voters approved the governor's choice of the pre-1956 Stars and Bars flag over the Barnes flag by a three-to-one margin.
Academic text (2008) -
The museum displayed the Stars and Bars, showcasing its historical significance as the first official flag of the Confederate States.
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During the presentation, the guide explained that the Stars and Bars represented the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1863.
Synonyms
2
7.2
A flag used by Southern states during the American Civil War, often the battle flag design
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally names graphic elements ('stars' and 'bars'), so a B1 learner who knows the words can plausibly infer it refers to a design or emblem (likely a flag) made of stars and bars. However, the specific historical referent—the first official Confederate flag—and its political connotations are lexicalized cultural knowledge not predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires prior exposure.
Etymology
Stars and Bars names the first flag of the Confederate States during the U.S. Civil War. The flag showed a circle of stars for the states and red and white horizontal bars, so people called it 'Stars and Bars' and the name now refers to that flag.