Plain English Meaning

A common IFR route that has a name or code, so ATC can give it to you in one phrase instead of listing every point along the way.

Full Definition

A pre-established IFR route that has been assigned a code or identifier by Air Traffic Control so it can be issued to a pilot in a single short clearance instead of being read out as a long string of fixes, airways, and altitudes. Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) are the most common example: when ATC clears an aircraft via a named arrival, the pilot and controller both refer to the same published route by its code.