★

Arose independently in various cultures, around the same time as the pentagram (⛤) and other stars with various numbers of points.

The five-pointed star: five (typically evenly) spaced, outward-reaching triangular points formed by a single continuous, connecting line in an equidistant circular pattern around a centre point, with one protrusion at the top, two across from each other at the sides, and the remaining two points at the bottom completing a symmetric arrangement. In various depictions of the symbol, however, it may be hollow (☆) or solid (★), and have uneven sides.

Probably from Egyptian 𓇼 (“logogram for sbꜣ: star, meteor (falling star)”) (image:

), in the form of a five-pointed starfish. Notably, around the same time in Mesopotamia, there were artistic, non-lexical (as in non-cuneiform) depictions of ⛤ (a pentagram), ✴, ✷ (eight-pointed stars) and ✶ (a six-pointed star), like the Star of Ishtar; compare Sumerian 𒀭 (“sky, heaven”), in cuneiform, which is descended from such drawings, and 𒀯 (“star, constellation”).

★

1. A star.

★

1. A decorative symbol; a fleuron.
   1. Unity, harmony.
   2. Luck.
   3. Hope.
   4. (chiefly vexillology, graphic design) Freedom, liberty, independence; democracy.
   5. (chiefly US politics, also vexillology) Progress, trust.

In heraldry, the English name for a five-pointed star is a mullet or “mullet of five points.”

From ★ (“a star”).

★

1. A critical rating, with more stars indicating a higher score, better quality or better performance.
2. A mark of excellence.
   1. Indicates victory; a win.
      1. (sports, originally soccer) On a kit, indicates a tournament or championship victory.
   2. An award, a prize; a distinction, an honour.
   3. (chiefly video games) An achievement; a reward, rewards.
   4. (entertainment industry, signage) A talented person; a star; the talent.
3. Indicates something or someone important, noteworthy, special or significant.
   1. A highlighted or selected person or thing; a marker.
   2. Denotes the best or most exceptional item in a list.
   3. A featured item or thing.
   4. A popular item or thing.
   5. A recommendation.
   6. Indicates something rare.
   7. Denotes the leader, manager, principal representative or head of a group, coalition or team.
   8. Indicates a goal, an end point; a destination.
   9. (uncommon) A popularity rating, with more stars indicating a higher level of notoriety or popularity.
   10. (military) Insignia, with more stars indicating a higher, superior or more senior rank or position.
   11. (graphical user interface) Favourite (“to add to one's list of favourite items on a website or service that allows users to compile such lists”); favourites, one's favourites.
   12. (graphical user interface) Bookmark (“to create a record of the address of a file or Internet page, serving as a shortcut to it”); bookmarks; save; saved items.
   13. (cartography) Denotes a capital city.
   14. (cartography) Denotes a landmark or other point of interest.
   15. (games) Indicates a power-up, ability or collectible item.
4. Fame; stardom.
5. (animation, especially anime, comics) Appears in the eyes of a character to indicate that they are excited, surprised, in awe or incredibly happy.
6. (video games, tabletop games) Alternative form of ✪ (“a fictional but functional, in-game currency”).
7. (video games) A difficulty rating, with more stars indicating a higher level of difficulty.

A stylisation.

★ (typography)

1. Alternative form of *
2. Alternative form of • (“introduces items in a list”).

From:

• (Communism sense): First attested on the cover of the 1908 Russian science fiction novel Red Star by Alexander Bogdanov, and popularised during the October Revolution and subsequent civil war in Russia between 1917 and 1922.
• (Black star): First used on the flag of Ghana, designed by Theodosia Okoh, and adopted on 6 March 1957; she borrowed the black star from the flag of the Black Star Line to represent Black rights, the emancipation of Africa, and unity against colonialism.
• (Esperanto): Created by L. L. Zamenhof, the inventor of Esperanto, and first attested in 1892 in La Esperantisto. Zamenhof published all of his Esperantist works with green covers, having been indirectly inspired by Richard H. Geoghegan—who often used the colour to represent Ireland—and he took the five-pointed star from a grammar book of Esperanto written by Louis de Beaufront.

★

1. Meaning dependent upon the colour of the star:
   1. (red) Communism; the Red Star.
   2. (black, vexillology) The Black Star of Africa.
   3. (green) Esperanto.

Depiction of a sparkle.

★

1. Alternative form of ✨︎ (“sparkling clean or new”).