five-staradj.
/ˈfʌɪvstɑː/, /ˌfʌɪvˈstɑː/, U.S. /ˈfaɪvˌstɑr/, /ˌfaɪvˈstɑr/ 1. Consisting of or marked with five stars.
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1862 Age (Melbourne) 15 Oct. Up will go the flag, the five-star flag that was raised over the Eureka stockade on Ballaarat [sic], in 1854.
1919 Jrnl. U.S. Artillery June 396 Almost directly beyond Polaris from the Big Dipper and about the same distance away is the five-star constellation in the form of a letter W.
2014 I. Alston & K. Dixon Coco Chanel 10/2 The five-star pattern on the convent's stone mosaic floors influenced many of Chanel's jewelry designs.
2.
a.
(a) Esp. of a hotel, restaurant, etc.: having five stars in a grading system in which this denotes the highest (or a very high) standard. Cf. star n.1 9c.Five-star hotels, restaurants, etc., are associated with exceptional luxury.
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the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > brandy > [adjective] > quality
three-star1879
five-star1899
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > dwelling place or abode > accommodation or lodging > public lodging-places > [adjective] > class or type of hotel
three-star1879
long-stay1913
beachfront1921
five-star1934
1899 Morning Post 3 Oct. 5/1 We drank lashings of coffee, some of it laced with ‘Five Star’ brandy.
1934 Country Life 17 Nov. p. xxi (advt.) The only five star Hotel in Cornwall.
1968 Listener 1 Aug. 159/1 The recent mass switch to five-star petrol may..be partly due to the uprating of Extra.
1976 N.Y. Times 18 Apr. (Travel section) 11/1 How many know that it [sc. Cincinnati] is seductively Southern in nature, practically Viennese culturally and boasts two five-star restaurants?
2014 L. Jewell Third Wife (2015) xxvi. 196 He'd spent a few hours in the cottage finessing his speech, showing his family photos on his phone of the amazing five-star hotel he'd be staying at.
(b) More generally: of a very high quality, excellent, first-rate, exceptional. Also ironic.
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the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1936 S. J. Perelman in New Yorker 26 Dec. 17/3 A parasite, a leech, a bloodsucker—altogether a five-star nogoodnick!
1947 Middletown (N.Y.) Times-Herald 24 July 15/1 Team up these luscious, meaty chops with cream gravy and some spiced whole peaches or apricots—and you have a five-star meal for any season.
1953 P. Frankau Winged Horse iv. iii. 261 We always celebrate the moment..with a five-star quarrel.
1970 New Scientist 2 Apr. 5/2 Oysters, salmon and other five-star seafood.
2018 Columbian (Vancouver, Washington) (Nexis) 23 Sept. e1 Ramey praised the Life Flight crew as ‘top-notch’ and ‘absolutely five-star’.
b. Of a review or rating of a product, establishment, performance, etc.: awarding five stars in a grading system in which this denotes the highest (or a very high) standard; expressing high praise or recommendation.
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1931 Movie Age 5 May 5/4 ‘Skippy’ is one of the few pictures shown here during the past year to win a five star rating from Merle Potter, Journal film critic.
1989 USA Today 27 Nov. 1 d Neil Young's latest album is reaping raves, including the only five-star review awarded by Rolling Stone this year.
1993 N.Y. Times 26 Sept. iii. 15/1 (advt.) The Industrial Income Fund is an investment that offers the potential for long-term results that had Morningstar award the Fund its highest five-star rating.
2019 P. Caputo Hunter's Moon 194 A five-star customer review for this time of year on the website could be exactly what she needs to avoid the seasonal lulls in the future.
3. Chiefly U.S. Having the highest military rank, indicated by five stars on the holder's uniform. Chiefly in five-star general. Cf. star n.1 10c.
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society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer or soldier of rank > [adjective] > high-ranking
high-ranking1850
brass-hatted1858
five-star1942
two-star1951
1942 San Antonio (Texas) Sunday Light 14 June 1/7 Five-star generals, gold-braided admirals,..and post-war champions bared their heads as the jaunty crew of young warriors swung down Pennsylvania Avenue.
1951 I. Shaw Troubled Air xxii. 380 It doesn't make any difference..whether a five-star general or an ambassador to England sat next to you.
1966 News (Frederick, Maryland) 21 Feb. b2/6 The quiet, white-haired, five star admiral became a legendary figure in the island-hopping campaign across the Pacific in World War II.
2018 Bangkok Post (Nexis) 16 Nov. The Defence Ministry's efforts to maintain top salaries for special, five-star military personnel is just the tip of the iceberg.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1862