The process by which material flows from one star to another in a binary system, typically occurring when one star expands beyond its Roche lobe or through stellar winds captured by the companion.
From Latin 'massa' meaning 'lump' and 'transferre' meaning 'to carry across'. The astronomical usage developed in the mid-20th century as binary star evolution became better understood.
Mass transfer can completely change a star's fate—a dying white dwarf can be rejuvenated into a nova factory, while a neutron star can be spun up into a millisecond pulsar! It's like cosmic recycling that extends stellar lifetimes and creates exotic objects.
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