(a) An apparently luminous celestial body; a star, planet, comet; also fig.; also, a star or planet as used in divination or prophecy; (b) the star of Bethlehem heralding the birth of Jesus; (c) in similes and stock comparisons; also, in epithets for the Virgin Mary: ~ of the se, ~ of sternes; (d) a star-shaped ornament or piece of jewelry; also, a star-shaped idol representing the Assyrian star god [1st quot.]; (e) a patch of white hair on the forehead of an animal; (f) in cpds. & combs.: ~ chaumbre, = sterre chaumbre, s.v. sterre n. 2.(e); ~ leme, a ray of starlight; also, fig. Christ; ~ slime, a nostoc believed to have been produced by meteorites; blasinge ~, a comet; dai ~, the morning star; also, the time at which the morning star becomes visible, dawn; also, fig. one who arouses hope or joy; -- used as an epithet for the Christ child; even ~, Venus; lode ~, a guiding star, esp. Polaris; also fig.; se ~, a lodestar; also fig.; seven sternes, the seven solar bodies recognized as planets in Ptolemaic astronomy: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, the sun, and the moon.

Anat. ~ of the eie, eie ~, the cornea; sternes of the eie, the pupils of the eyes.