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aster
(as′tər)
noun
- any of a large genus (Aster) of plants of the composite family, with purplish, blue, pink, or white daisylike flowers
- China aster
- a structure shaped like a star, formed during mitosis around the centrosome in the cytoplasm of a cell: not formed in seed plant cells
Origin: ModL < L < Gr astēr, star
star or starlike structure: diaster
Origin: < Gr astēr, star
a (specified) person or thing that is inferior or not genuine: poetaster
Origin: L dim. suffix
See aster in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- Any of various plants of the genus Aster in the composite family, having radiate flower heads with white, pink, or violet rays and a usually yellow disk.
- The China aster.
- Biology A star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell and having raylike fibers that surround the centrosome during mitosis.
Origin:
Origin: Latin astēr, a type of plant
Origin: , from Greek, star, type of daisy; see ster-3 in Indo-European roots
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