stella, ae, f. [for sterula; cf. Sanscr. staras; cf. Gr. ἀστήρ; Germ. Stern; Engl. star; perh. root ster- of sterno; Gr. στορέννυμι].
I Lit., a star (whereas sidus denotes a group of stars, a constellation; v. sidus; cf. also astrum): ignes, quae sidera et stellas vocatis, Cic. Rep. 6, 15, 15: sunt stellae naturā flammeae, id. N. D. 2, 46, 118: o magna templa caelitum commixta stellis splendidis Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 227 Vahl.); cf.: caelum stellis fulgentibus aptum, id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 30 Vahl.); Lucr. 6, 357: stellae in radiis solis (non cernuntur), Cic. Fin. 5, 24, 71: maxime sunt admirabiles motus earum quinque stellarum, quae falso vocantur errantes, i. e. planets , id. N. D. 2, 20, 51; so, errantes, id. Rep. 1, 14, 22; id. Tusc. 1, 25, 62; id. N. D. 1, 13, 34 (but cf. inerrantes, fixed stars , id. ib. 3, 20, 51): stella comans, i. e. a comet , Ov. M. 15, 749; cf. id. ib. 15, 850: dum caelum stellas vehat, Tib. 1, 4, 66: simul alba nautis Stella refulsit, Hor. C. 1, 12, 28: jam stellarum sublime coëgerat agmen Lucifer, Ov. M. 11, 97: usque ad diurnam stellam, Lucifer , i. e. till daybreak , Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 64.—Prov., of an impossibility: Terra feret stellas, Ov. Tr. 1, 8, 3.—Poet., sometimes for sidus, a constellation : Saturni, Verg. G. 1, 336: Coronae, id. ib. 1, 222: vesani Leonis, Hor. C. 3, 29, 19: Icarii stella proterva canis, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 4: stella miluus, id. F. 3, 793; 5, 112.—Of the sun : stella serena, Ov. F. 6, 718.—
B Esp., a meteor , shooting-star : saepe stellas videbis Praecipites caelo labi, Verg. G. 1, 365: de caelo lapsa per umbras Stella, id. A. 2, 694; Lucr. 2, 208: discursus stellarum, Plin. 2, 36, 36, § 100; cf.: discurrere eae (stellae) videntur, id. 18, 35, 80, § 351: videmus ergo stellarum longos a tergo albescere tractus. Hae velut stellae exsiliunt, etc., Sen. Q. N. 1, 14, 2 sq.—
II Transf., of things resembling a star.
A A figure of a star : vitis in stellam dividatur ... refert jugum in stellam decussari, etc., Col. 4, 17, 4 sq.; 4, 26, 3; cf. id. 3, 13, 13: Plin. 18, 10, 23, § 97: chlamys distincta aureis stellis, Suet. Ner. 25.—
B A bright point on a precious stone, Plin. 37, 7, 25, § 96; 37, 9, 51, § 134; 37, 10, 67, § 182.—
C A starfish , Plin. 9, 60, 86, § 183; 32, 11, 53, § 151: marina, Veg. Vet. 4 (6), 12, 3.—
D A glowworm , Plin. 18, 27, 67, § 251.—*
E The pupil of the eye, Claud. Idyll. 1, 36.