The term 'star-crossed' is a Shakespearean coinage, first appearing in the prologue of 'Romeo and Juliet' (c. 1595). It literally means "thwarted or opposed by the stars," directly reflecting the ancient and Renaissance belief in astrology, where the positions of celestial bodies at one's birth were thought to determine one's fate. The 'crossed' element implies a state of being obstructed or marked for adversity. Thus, the word's logic moves from the literal concept of unfavorable stellar influence to its enduring metaphorical meaning, describing lovers whose relationship is doomed by external, seemingly fated, circumstances.

Structure: star + crossed - star: From Old English 'steorra', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'ster' and German 'Stern'. In this compound, it functions as a noun representing the celestial bodies believed to influence human destiny. - crossed: From the verb 'cross', from Old English 'cros', ultimately from Latin 'crux'. In this compound, it functions as a participial adjective meaning thwarted, opposed, or marked by misfortune.