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Star-crossed lovers

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Star-crossed lovers'?

Star-crossed means unlucky, that is, not favoured by the stars. The first pair to be so described were Romeo and Juliet.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Star-crossed lovers'?

The phrase originates from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1592:

A paire of starre-crost lovers, take their life.

The history of “Star – crossed lovers” in printed materials

Trend of star – crossed lovers in printed material over time

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Star-crossed lovers

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