What does asterisked mean?
Asterisked is an adjective describing text that has been marked with an asterisk, the small star-shaped symbol (*). The mark directs readers to a footnote, caveat, or special condition elsewhere on the page, so calling something 'asterisked' implies that important qualifying information applies to it. The word appears most often in commercial and editorial contexts: asterisked prices may exclude taxes, asterisked results may carry a record-breaking annotation, and asterisked names in a sports table may indicate teams with games in hand. Derived from the noun 'asterisk', which entered English from Latin and ultimately Greek (astron, 'star'), it functions both as a straightforward past participle of the verb 'to asterisk' and as a fully established adjective in its own right. Its connotations are neutral and practical rather than emotional, though in everyday speech an 'asterisk' has taken on figurative weight: to say a victory 'comes with an asterisk' is to suggest it deserves a caveat.
Marked with an asterisk, typically to indicate that a note, condition, or exception relating to the marked item appears elsewhere in the text.
"Check the asterisked clauses before signing the contract."
Almost always used attributively before a noun; predicative use tends to occur in passive constructions.
Past tense and past participle of the verb 'asterisk': to mark (a word, figure, or passage) with an asterisk.
"She asterisked every figure that was subject to revision."
That little star doing all the fine-print heavy lifting? When it lands on a word, that word becomes asterisked — proof that sometimes the smallest mark in typography carries the biggest disclaimer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of asterisked
Asterisked derives from the verb 'to asterisk', itself formed from the noun 'asterisk'. The noun came into English from Latin asteriscus, borrowed from Greek asteriskos, a diminutive of astron meaning 'star', so the symbol's name literally means 'little star'. The verb, meaning to mark with this symbol, developed later in English, and its past participle 'asterisked' settled into adjectival use in editorial, commercial, and sporting texts. It shares its Greek stellar root with words such as asteroid and disaster.
Related word forms
How asterisked is actually used
Primarily used in written, formal, and technical contexts such as pricing tables, academic references, sports tables, and legal documents. It is almost always attributive (appearing before a noun); as a predicate it usually appears in passive constructions ('the entry is asterisked'). The related verb 'to asterisk' is somewhat informal by comparison.
Easily confused with asterisked
An asterisk is the star-shaped typographical symbol itself, whereas asterisked describes text that has been marked with that symbol.