Starcrossed

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Referring to people whose romantic destinies are hindered by misfortune and circumstances beyond their control
2. Pertaining to individuals or couples destined for misadventure due to forces that interfere with their aspirations
3. Describing individuals whose fates interfere with their romantic pursuits and lead to tragic outcomes beyond their influence

Etymology: The word "starcrossed" is a compound of "star" and "crossed," and its story begins with astrology. In the belief that the stars shaped human lives, a person's fate was set at birth by the positions of the planets, and a "crossed" star meant an adverse alignment that blocked one's hopes. The idea was that lovers could be doomed not by their own faults but by the heavens. The most famous use is William Shakespeare's. In the prologue to "Romeo and Juliet," he calls the lovers "star-cross'd lovers," and the phrase has been tied to them ever since. Shakespeare's version gave the word the romantic sense it carries today, though the compound itself was already in use before his play.

Synonyms: ill-fated, doomed