The compound 'star-struck' is a relatively modern formation, emerging in the early 20th century alongside the rise of mass media and celebrity culture. It creatively combines the metaphorical 'star', representing a famous person whose brilliance is likened to a celestial body, with 'struck', conveying the sudden, powerful impact of encountering such fame. The logic is direct: one is figuratively 'smitten' or 'hit' by the glamour of a star. This follows a long-standing English pattern for forming adjectives describing a state of being powerfully affected, such as 'awe-struck' or 'love-struck', applying it specifically to the modern phenomenon of celebrity worship.

Structure: star (celebrity) + struck (affected by) - star: From Old English 'steorra', meaning a celestial body. Its modern sense of a famous performer is a metaphorical extension from the late 16th century. - struck: Past participle of the verb 'strike', from Old English 'strīcan' (to go, move, stroke). The sense of being 'affected by' (as in awe-struck, horror-struck) developed from the idea of being hit or smitten by a powerful force or emotion.