morning star

Definition

A weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes attached rigidly to a staff, in contrast to a flail.

Etymology

From morning + star. Compare West Frisian moarnstjer, Dutch morgenster, German Morgenstern, Swedish morgonstjärna, Icelandic morgunstjarna. Application to Satan derives, like the corresponding sense of Lucifer (which see), from what is probably a misinterpretation of Isaiah 14:12 (NIV: "How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!").

Example Sentences

• "Contrivances like these, except that the balls were armed with spikes, were long carried by the pioneers of the trained bands, or city militia, they are generally called morning stars."
• "2019, PlaysPH, "What is the official name of the crusty stuff we develop around our eyes during sleep? And what causes it?", Quora We call it “morning star”. Funny name though. The real name is “eye crusts”."