What does asteria mean?
An asteria is a gemstone—most often a sapphire—that displays asterism, the phenomenon in which light reflects off needle-like inclusions within the stone to form a luminous, six-rayed star across its surface. To show this effect to best advantage, the stone is polished into a smooth, rounded dome known as a cabochon rather than faceted. The name derives from the Greek word for 'star', and the term belongs chiefly to the vocabulary of gemmology and fine jewellery, where 'star sapphire' is the more familiar equivalent. In classical mythology, Asteria was a Titaness, daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, who according to legend transformed herself into a quail and leapt into the sea to escape the advances of Zeus; the island of Delos was said to have risen where she fell. The word's celestial associations make it evocative, linking the sparkle of a prized jewel with the imagery of the night sky.
A gemstone, typically a sapphire, that exhibits asterism — a six-rayed star effect visible when the stone is cut en cabochon.
"Her ring featured a deep blue asteria with a perfectly centred star."
Often used interchangeably with 'star sapphire'; capitalized when referring to the Titaness in Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, a Titaness, daughter of Coeus and Phoebe, associated with nocturnal oracles and falling stars.
"According to the myth, Asteria escaped Zeus by transforming into a quail and casting herself into the Aegean."
Always capitalized as a proper noun in this sense.
The Latinized plural 'asteriae' is preferred in scholarly gemmological writing; 'asterias' is common in general use.
"The jeweller's drawer held three asteriae of varying shades of blue."
Named after the Greek word for 'star', asteria is a sapphire that literally carries its own star inside it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of asteria
The word asteria comes from the Greek 'asterias', meaning 'of the stars' or 'starlike', itself derived from 'aster', meaning star. It entered English through Latin usage, applied both to stones that showed a star-like sheen and to figures in mythology connected with the heavens. It shares this Greek root with words such as 'asterisk', 'astral', and 'astrology'.
Related word forms
How asteria is actually used
As a gemmological term, 'asteria' is somewhat technical and appears mainly in mineralogy and jewellery contexts; the more common everyday term is 'star sapphire'. As a mythological name, it is capitalized. The word also names various genera in biology (e.g. of moths), but these uses are specialist.
Easily confused with asteria
Asthenia means physical weakness or loss of strength, whereas asteria is a star-bearing gemstone or a figure from Greek mythology.