aster

/'æstə/

Thân thiện

A small purple aster blooms in the sunny garden.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell, having fibers like rays that surround the centrosome during mitosis. This is a term from cell biology.
   • Any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisy-like flowers. This is a term from botany for a popular garden flower.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Biology):
  • The formation of the aster is a key event in early cell division.
  • Scientists observed the aster under a microscope to study spindle formation.
• Noun (Botany):
  • The garden was full of purple asters in the autumn.
  • She planted New England asters to attract butterflies.

Advanced Usage

• "Aster family": Refers to the large plant family Asteraceae (Compositae), to which the aster genus belongs.
  • Daisies, sunflowers, and asters are all members of the aster family.
• Used in compound botanical names (e.g., for the New England aster).

Variants and Related Words

• Asterisk (n): The symbol (*), which is star-shaped. While related etymologically (both come from the Greek for 'star'), it is a distinct word.
  • He marked the important footnote with an asterisk.
• Astero- (prefix): A combining form meaning 'star', used in scientific terms (e.g., asteroid).

Synonyms

• Michaelmas daisy: A common name for certain types of asters that bloom around the feast of St. Michael (Michaelmas) in late September.
• Star structure (Biology): A descriptive synonym for the cellular aster.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• There are no common idioms using the word "aster." The word is primarily used in its literal botanical or biological senses.

Học thuật

Noun

1. star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell having fibers like rays that surround the centrosome during mitosis
2. any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowers