faxed star

See also: faxed-star

English

Alternative forms

• fixed star (17th century)
• faxed-star

Etymology

From Middle English faxed sterre, from Old English feaxede steorra (“comet”, literally “maned star”), equivalent to faxed (“having hair, hairy”) +‎ star, from the tail appearing as though the star had hair.

Noun

faxed star (plural faxed stars)

1. (rare, dialectal) A comet; meteor.
   • 2009, Harry Alfred Long, Personal and Family Names:

     The difference between true and false glory is elegantly illustrated by Milton in his description of Satan, who, falling, was defigured from a star of high magnitude into a faxed star, whose meteoric flash soon fades, […]