steorra
/ˈste͜or.rɑ/
The English word star is steorra in Old English.
In an astronomical context, steorra refers to a luminous celestial body made of plasma.
Meaning: (astronomy) a luminous celestial body made of plasma (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of steorra is steorran, which is used to mean stars.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈsteor.rɑ/.
Did you know?
- The root of steorra is so old that it predates the split of most European languages, meaning the 'star' in Old English is a direct sibling to words in Sanskrit and Latin.
- In Old English, the word steorra was used not just for astronomical stars but also to describe planets, which were viewed as 'wandering stars'.
- While steorra means 'star', Old English often used the word tungol to refer to any bright heavenly body, including the sun and moon.
Examples in context
- Heo wæs swylce steorra beorht on þære nihte.She was like a bright star in the night.
- Se steorra scineð on nihte.The star shines at night.
- Hwæt steorra is þæt?What star is that?
Example conversation
Wulfrun and Osric are looking at the night sky.
- WulfrunLōca, Osric, hū beorht þes steorra is!Look, Osric, how bright is this star!
- OsricIċ hine ēac sēo.I see it too.
- WulfrunIs hit nīwe steorra?Is it a new star?
- OsricIċ nāt.I do not know.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry steorra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
