emission line star

Any star that exhibits emission lines in its spectrum in addition to or in place of the more typical absorption lines. The symbol "e" in a spectral type (e.g. B5e) signifies the presence of emission lines. Wolf-Rayet stars, the hottest of all, have totally emission line spectra. Emission lines occur in the spectra of certain O stars and B stars and also, at the cooler end of the range, in some M stars and cool variable Mira stars.