# protostar

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹəʊtə(ʊ)stɑː/

## Definitions
1. A collection of gas and dust in space with high temperature that usually grows to the point of beginning nuclear fusion and becoming a star.

## Etymology
From proto- + star. Compare later protostellar.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/protostar