noun
starburst
noun
1
A sudden burst or explosion, or a star-shaped pattern of light suggesting one.
"Fireworks lit the sky with bright starbursts of colour."
2
In astronomy, a region or period of unusually intense star formation.
"Astronomers spotted a starburst galaxy producing new stars at an incredible rate."
How to Use Starburst
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA burst of light or activity that radiates outward like a star, used both for visual effects and for regions of space making lots of new stars.
Common pairings
starburst pattern
starburst galaxy
starburst effect
Word Forms
starbursted past tense, starbursts plural, starbursts singular
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Fireworks lit the sky with bright _____ of colour.
Etymology
A straightforward compound of "star" + "burst," describing something that bursts outward in a star-like pattern.