-aster

¹

1. a diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing:

   criticaster; poetaster, oleaster.

-aster

²

1. Chiefly Biology. a combining form with the meaning “star,” used in the formation of compound words:

   diaster.

aster

³

[ as-ter ]

noun

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. Cell Biology. a structure formed in a cell during mitosis, composed of astral rays radiating about the centrosome.
4. Furniture. sunflower ( def 2 ).

-aster

¹

suffix forming nouns

1. a person or thing that is inferior or bears only a poor resemblance to what is specified

   poetaster

aster

²

/ ˈæstə /

noun

1. any plant of the genus Aster, having white, blue, purple, or pink daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites) Compare golden aster
2. China aster
   a related Chinese plant, Callistephus chinensis, widely cultivated for its showy brightly coloured flowers
3. cytology a group of radiating microtubules that surrounds the centrosome before and during mitosis

Word History and Origins

Origin of -aster¹

From Latin

Origin of -aster²

< Greek astḗr star; astro-

Origin of -aster³

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin, from Greek astḗr “star”; star

Word History and Origins

Origin of -aster¹

from Latin: suffix indicating imperfect resemblance

Origin of -aster²

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

Example Sentences

Those looking to replace Oscar-winning Sean Baker, who won the top prize at Cannes for Anora last year, also include Iranian director Jafar Panahi and his film A Simple Accident, plus horror newcomer Ari Aster with Eddington, which stars Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone.

From BBC

For him, it’s less about the size of the role, as evidenced by his turn as a brash manchild in Ari Aster’s nightmare-inducing “Midsommar” or his Emmy-nominated guest role as Luca, a pastry chef and mentor on “The Bear,” and more about the result.

From Los Angeles Times

The sun-blasted town of Randsburg sprang up virtually overnight, and the area’s largest mine, the Yellow Aster, produced the modern equivalent of more than $25 million over the next 30 years.

From Los Angeles Times

His land features five gold mines and shares a fence line with the famed Yellow Aster mine, so he’s confident that there’s plenty of gold beneath the surface.

From Los Angeles Times

But high winds have deafened the instruments to the rumblings from deeper magma, says Rick Aster, a geophysicist at Colorado State University.

From Science Magazine