noun
1.
a. : a bright planet (as Venus) seen in the eastern sky before sunrise
b. : any of the five planets that may be seen with the naked eye if in the sky at sunrise
Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn may be morning stars
c. : a planet that sets after midnight
2.
[translation of German morgenstern ]
: a weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes and either attached to a staff or suspended from one by a chain — called also holy-water sprinkler
3. : an annual California herb ( Mentzelia aurea ) with showy yellow flowers