A ceramic refractory stopper, shaped as a rod with a total axial length LS, comprising a) a stopper body (12) of an axial length LB, a first end section (12U) of which being equipped with means to fasten the stopper body (12) to a raise and lowering device, and a second end section (12L) of which being followed by b) a dome-like stopper head (14) of an axial length LH, wherein c) the stopper body (12) features at least one outer planar surface section (P1, P2, P3), which extends along at least 50% of the axial length LB of the stopper body (12).