ETYM Latin aster aster, star, Greek asthr star. Related to Star.
1. Any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowers.
2. Star-shaped structure formed in the cytoplasm of a cell having fibers like rays that surround the centrosome during mitosis.
Any plant of the large genus Aster, family Compositae, belonging to the same subfamily as the daisy. All asters have starlike flowers with yellow centers and outer rays (not petals) varying from blue and purple to white and the genus comprises a great variety of size. Many are cultivated as garden flowers, including the Michaelmas daisy A. nova-belgii.
The China aster Callistephus chinensis belongs to a closely allied genus; it was introduced to Europe and the US from China in the early 18th century.
The white wood aster A. divaricatus grows in open woods throughout most of the US.

The bone in the ankle that articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle joint; SYN. astragal, astragalus, talus. ankle bone, ankle-bone

ETYM Latin See Astragal.
1. The ankle bone, or hock bone; the bone of the tarsus which articulates with the tibia at the ankle.
2. A genus of papilionaceous plants, of the tribe Galegeae, containing numerous species, two of which are called, in English, milk vetch and licorice vetch. Gum tragacanth is obtained from different oriental species.
The dried root of an Asian milk vetch (Astragalus membranaceus) used especially as a remedy in Chinese herbal medicine; also; a preparation or extract of this root.

1. The human tarsal bone that bears the weight of the body and that together with the tibia and fibula forms the ankle joint
2. The entire ankle

The fur of young lambs.
1. Karakul of Russian origin
2. A cloth with a usually wool, curled, and looped pile resembling karakul