starry
UK: ˈstɑːri | US: ˈstɑːri
adj. filled with or resembling stars; shining like stars
adj. marked by or suggestive of stars (e.g., starry-eyed)
The word "starry" combines "star" (from Old English steorra, meaning a luminous celestial object) with the suffix "-y," which forms adjectives indicating "full of" or "resembling." The suffix "-y" traces back to Old English -ig, a common adjectival ending. Together, "starry" vividly evokes a sky filled with stars or qualities reminiscent of their brilliance. The word’s simplicity and poetic imagery have made it enduring in both literal and metaphorical contexts (e.g., "starry night," "starry-eyed optimism").
The starry sky stretched endlessly above the desert.
Her starry eyes sparkled with excitement.
Van Gogh’s Starry Night captures the swirling beauty of the cosmos.
The children gazed at the starry decorations in awe.
He felt a starry sense of wonder under the Milky Way.