Dictionary  as•terPronunciation: (as'tur), [key] —n. 1. any composite plant of the genus Aster, having rays varying from white or pink to blue around a yellow disk. 2. a plant of some allied genus, as the China aster. 3. Cell Biol.a structure formed in a cell during mitosis, composed of astral rays radiating about the centrosome. 4. Furniture. sunflower (def. 2). -astera diminutive or pejorative suffix denoting something that imperfectly resembles or mimics the true thing: criticaster; poetaster, oleaster. -asterChiefly Biol.a combining form with the meaning “star,” used in the formation of compound words: diaster. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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