aster

aster [as-ter] ExamplesWord Origin 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).

Origin of aster 1595–1605; Latin Greek astḗr star -aster 1

1. a diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing: criticaster; poetaster, oleaster.

Origin of -aster 1From Latin -aster 2

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

Origin of -aster 2Greek astḗr star; cf. astro- Examples from the Web for aster Historical Examples of aster

They claim it both suits the Aster and helps to keep off root-lice.

The Mayflower, January, 1905

Various

The Aster will stand more in the way of lifting than any other plant I know.

The Mayflower, January, 1905

Various

Root-lice, blue aphis, etc., is one of the most common enemies of the Aster.

The Mayflower, January, 1905

Various

No one but an artist should attempt to describe an Aster’s colors.

The Mayflower, January, 1905

Various

Even in our mother’s day it was still called the China Aster.

The Mayflower, January, 1905

Various

British Dictionary definitions for aster aster 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 Origin for aster C18: from New Latin, from Latin aster star, from Greek -aster suffix forming nouns

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

Word Origin for -aster from Latin: suffix indicating imperfect resemblance Word Origin and History for aster n.

flower genus, 1706, from Latin aster “star” (see star (n.)); so called for the radiate heads of the flowers. Originally used in English in the Latin sense (c.1600) but this is obsolete.

-aster

word-forming element expressing incomplete resemblance (e.g. poetaster), usually diminutive and deprecatory, from Latin, from Greek -aster, suffix originally forming nouns from verbs ending in -azein, later generalized as a pejorative suffix, e.g. Greek patraster “he who plays the father.”

aster in Medicine aster [ăs′tər] n.

1. astrosphere