rock star

noun

plural rock stars

1

: a famous rock musician

From my standpoint, from '72 to '76, I was the ultimate rock star. I couldn't have been more of a rock star. Anything that had to do with being a rock 'n' roll singer was what I was going for.

—David Bowie

He's what I always thought rock stars should be: sexy, dangerous, outrageous, and funny. And at least a little self-aware.

—Doug Brod

2

: a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field

Locals came streaming across a muddy construction site on the Cooper River to catch a glimpse of the rock star of politics.

—Howard Fineman

The Colchester Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education are the rock stars of our town's elected government.

—Jason Cohen

For the agency, whose mission is building soil health, Brandt [David Brandt, farmer] has emerged as a kind of rock star. He's a "step ahead of the game."

—Tom Philpott

Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.

—David G Fleming

… the day of the celebrity chef is seriously upon us. Chefs have become the rock stars of their generation, and we all long to know them better.

—Ruth Reichl

Examples of rock star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

See the little ones — and now not-so-little ones — that made these rock stars dads! —Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024

The festival will highlight banda, throwback groups, pop stars, and Latin rock stars. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2024

There were readings when as many as 1,000 people showed up, and the poets, Alta included, were treated like rock stars. —Penelope Green, New York Times, 17 May 2024

For the special concert, Spencer appeared business-casual, while Kaling went slightly edgier — and, fittingly, more rock star — in a leather jacket almost as long as the coats linked to Hudson’s forever iconic Almost Famous character, Penny Lane. —Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1