A starter is disclosed as having a housing carrying thereon a motor, and a pinion moving body including a pinion gear, operative to mesh with a ring gear of an engine to transfer a rotational force of the motor thereto, and a pinion shielding member connected to the pinion gear at a front end thereof. The pinion shielding member has an outer circular periphery, having an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the addendum circle of the pinion gear, and a bottomed cylindrical configuration formed with a hollow portion having a front opened end and a closed rear end. Further, a clearance between an inner circumferential periphery of the nose portion and the outer circular periphery of the pinion shielding member is minimized to avoid interference between the nose portion of the housing and the pinion shielding member.