# stellar

/ˈstɛɫɝ/ (US) · /stˈɛlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stellar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. related to stars

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

relating to the stars in the sky.

For teachers: pertaining to, consisting of, or characteristic of stars.

- The telescope allowed the scientists to study stellar evolution in distant galaxies.
- The observatory's new spectrograph provides unprecedented detail regarding the stellar composition of clusters located at the edge of the Milky Way.

Usage: In this sense, the word is non-gradable and typically appears before the noun.

### 2. excellent

adjective · CEFR B2

exceptionally good or outstanding.

For teachers: exceptionally good; outstanding or featuring a high level of performance.

- The young actress gave a stellar performance in her first major film.
- Despite the economic downturn, the company reported stellar profits thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions in the tech sector.

Teaching tip: This is a very common way to praise a professional or artistic achievement in modern English.

## Examples

- The young actor gave a stellar performance in the new movie.
- The company reported stellar profits this quarter, exceeding even the most optimistic predictions from financial analysts.
- While the telescope was designed for stellar observation, its high-resolution sensors proved equally effective at capturing the subtle movements of distant planetary bodies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.