adjective
Latin
Stellar
lit. โof the starsโ
Exceptional โ though so overused the metaphor is nearly dead.
Origin
From Latin stella (star). Originally meaning literally 'of or relating to stars'. The figurative use ('outstanding') took hold in the 19th century and accelerated.
Modern usage
A near-dead metaphor in business writing: 'a stellar Q4', 'a stellar candidate'. The astronomical sense survives in scientific contexts; everywhere else it's interchangeable with 'great'.
Tags
excellence
praise
Related
phrase
Astronomy & Cosmos
North Star
A guiding principle โ the thing you steer by when everything else is shifting.
phrase
Astronomy & Cosmos
Supernova
A brilliant peak immediately before collapse.
phrase
Astronomy & Cosmos
Meteoric Rise
A spectacularly fast ascent โ almost always misused, since real meteors fall.