as·ter ( s t r)n. 1. 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. 2. The China aster. 3. Biology A star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell and having raylike fibers that surround the centrosome during mitosis. [Latin ast  r, a type of plant, from Greek, star, type of daisy; see ster-3 in Indo-European roots.] |
aster [ˈæstə]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any plant of the genus Aster, having white, blue, purple, or pink daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites) Compare golden aster
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants)
China aster a related Chinese plant, Callistephus chinensis, widely cultivated for its showy brightly coloured flowers
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) Cytology a group of radiating microtubules that surrounds the centrosome before and during mitosis
[from New Latin, from Latin aster star, from Greek]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  aster - any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowersflower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms genus Aster - large genus of herbs widely cultivated for their daisylike flowers wood aster - any of several asters of eastern North America usually growing in woods Aster acuminatus, whorled aster - North American perennial with apparently whorled leaves and showy white purple-tinged flowers Aster arenosus, heath aster - common North American perennial with heathlike foliage and small white flower heads Aster dumosus, bushy aster - stiff perennial of the eastern United States having small linear leaves and numerous tiny white flower heads Aster ericoides, heath aster - common much-branched North American perennial with heathlike foliage and small starry white flowers Aster falcatus, white prairie aster - perennial of western North America having white flowers Aster linarifolius, stiff aster - wiry tufted perennial of the eastern United States with stiff erect rough stems, linear leaves and large violet flowers Aster linosyris, goldilocks, goldilocks aster, Linosyris vulgaris - early-flowering perennial of southern and southeastern Europe with flower heads resembling those of goldenrod Aster novae-angliae, New England aster - common perennial of eastern North America having showy purplish flowers; a parent of the Michaelmas daisy Aster novi-belgii, Michaelmas daisy, New York aster - North American perennial herb having small autumn-blooming purple or pink or white flowers; widely naturalized in Europe Aster ptarmicoides, upland white aster - tufted rigid North American perennial with loose clusters of white flowers Aster shortii, Short's aster - perennial of southeastern United States having usually blue flowers Aster turbinellis, prairie aster - violet-flowered perennial aster of central United States having solitary heads annual salt-marsh aster - a variety of aster aromatic aster - a variety of aster arrow leaved aster - a variety of aster azure aster - a variety of aster bog aster - a variety of aster crooked-stemmed aster - a variety of aster Eastern silvery aster - a variety of aster flat-topped white aster - a variety of aster late purple aster - a variety of aster panicled aster - a variety of aster perennial salt marsh aster - a variety of aster purple-stemmed aster - a variety of aster rough-leaved aster - a variety of aster rush aster - a variety of aster Schreiber's aster - a variety of aster small white aster - a variety of aster smooth aster - a variety of aster southern aster - a variety of aster calico aster, starved aster - a variety of aster tradescant's aster - a variety of aster wavy-leaved aster - a variety of aster Western silvery aster - a variety of aster willow aster - a variety of aster |
| 2. | aster - star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell having fibers like rays that surround the centrosome during mitosis anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure - a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing; "he has good bone structure" |
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