The name 'Star' originates from the Old English word 'steorra', referring to the celestial body. Stars are luminous spheres of plasma held together by gravity, with the Sun being the nearest star to Earth. Stars play a crucial role in the universe, not only as sources of light but also in the creation of chemical elements through stellar nucleosynthesis. They are fundamental to the structure of galaxies and have been significant in human culture, navigation, and mythology.