starlet

star·let
S1T1A1R1L1E1T1
US/ˈstɑɹlɪt/UK/ˈstɑːlɪt/

noun

A young actress with a promising career ahead of her.

Less commonScrabble 7

Meanings

starlet1

nounstarlet (plural starlets)

plural starlets

  1. A young actress with a promising career ahead of her.

    There were other flapper-era starlets, of course—Louise Brooks, Greta Garbo—but they were poseurs by comparison.

    2012, Christoper Zara, Tortured Artists: From Picasso and Monroe to Warhol and Winehouse, the Twisted Secrets of the World's Most Creative Minds, part 1, chapter 1, 25
  2. An accomplished and important supporting player in a sports team.
    1 more example

    As Mourinho also entered the press room while most journalists were still watching the players’ lap of honour, nothing could be confirmed about the condition of Pogba, who scored United’s second goal and the Portuguese declined a chance to praise some fine performances from his starlets, with Josh Harrop scoring on his debut.

    2017 May 20, Jamie Jackson, “Josh Harrop sets Manchester United on way to win over Crystal Palace”, in the Guardian
  3. poeticA small star.

    As I saw the love-light beam From her radiant eyes, more glorious far Than the starlet's nightly gleam :

    1859, The Knickerbocker - Volume 54, page 385
    3 more examples

    It e'en the semblance of sound's softest echo Were to compare the faintest starlet's beam, Struggling through angry clouds its misty Ray, With the all-powerful Sun's meridian ray, Dazzling the gaze of nature — doth pervade The atmosphere, as 'twere a whisper's shadow Or breathing soft disembodied souls;

    1854, The Ladies' Companion, page 246

    The shimmering, shivering, trembling, twinkling starlet white, Dancy rays darteth down, showering blossoms of silvern light ;

    1874, FRASER'S MAGAZINE. NEW SERIES. VOL.X. JULY TO DECEMBER 1874

    I have a little golden dream That haunts me night and day, And like a starlet's golden beam Lights up my darksome way.

    1922, Social Progress - Volumes 6-7, page 207

starlet2

adjectivestarlet (comparative more starlet, superlative most starlet)

comparative more starlet · superlative most starlet

  1. alternativerareAlternative form of starlit.

    Through the starlet night, under the moon, they dreamed and loved.

    1972, The Pembroke Magazine - Issues 1-4, page 11
    2 more examples

    King's single file column made good time as they took turns riding their horses in the crisp starlet night and leading their mounts by the reins while they walked over extremely rough terrain.

    1998, John W. Bailey, The Life and Works of General Charles King, 1844-1933: Martial Spirit

    The Fortune Teller gazed his wondering green eye in the orb of clouded mist. Over looking their movements from above the starlet night.

    2010, Richard Serna, The Empress of Darkness, →ISBN

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eHs-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂stḗr
  3. Proto-Germanic*sternǭ
  4. Proto-West Germanic*sternō
  5. Proto-West Germanic*sterrō
  6. Old Englishsteorra
  7. Middle Englishsterre
  8. Englishstar
  9. Englishstarlet

From star + -let.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian обещаваща артистка
  • обещаваща артистка (obeštavašta artistka)young promising actress
Chinese Mandarin 童星
  • 童星 (tóngxīng)young promising actress
Czech hvězdička
  • hvězdičkayoung promising actress
Finnish tähtönen
  • tähtönenyoung promising actress
French starlette
  • starletteyoung promising actress
German Starlet
  • Starletyoung promising actress
Italian stellina, divetta
  • stellinayoung promising actress
  • divettayoung promising actress
  • starletyoung promising actress
Japanese スターレット
  • スターレット (sutāretto)young promising actress
Portuguese estrelinha
  • estrelinhayoung promising actress
Russian восходя́щая звезда́
  • восходя́щая звезда́ (vosxodjáščaja zvezdá)young promising actress
Spanish estrellita, starlet (stárlet)
  • estrellitayoung promising actress
  • starlet (stárlet)young promising actress

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with starlet

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

starlet. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/starlet

MLA

“starlet.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/starlet. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “starlet,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/starlet.

Source: starlet on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.