What does asterisk mean?
An asterisk is a small, star-shaped typographic symbol (*) with outsized importance in written communication. Its most familiar role is marking footnotes: placed after a word or sentence, it points the reader to a note at the bottom of the page. Writers also use it to signal an omission, censor a letter or word, or highlight list items, while in sports journalism an asterisk beside a record subtly suggests that an achievement carries an unspoken qualification. In computing, the asterisk takes on a technical life of its own as a wildcard character that matches any string of characters, making searches such as *.docx possible. The word derives from the Greek asteriskos, meaning 'little star', entered English via Latin in the early modern period, and remains one of the most widely recognized marks on the keyboard — compact, versatile, and instantly understood across print and digital media alike.
A star-shaped symbol (*) used in writing and printing to mark a footnote, indicate an omission, or flag an item of note.
"Place an asterisk after any term defined in the glossary."
Also used figuratively to imply a qualification or caveat attached to a claim or achievement.
To mark (a word, passage, or item) with an asterisk.
"Please asterisk the questions that require further research."
The standard plural adds -s; spellings like 'asterixes' are incorrect and usually stem from mishearing the word.
"The table was littered with asterisks, each pointing to a different caveat."
In sports records, an asterisk next to a number has come to mean 'yes, but...' — a tiny printed star that can cast permanent doubt on even the greatest achievements.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of asterisk
The word 'asterisk' comes from the Greek asteriskos, a diminutive of aster meaning 'little star'. It passed into Latin and was adopted into English in the early modern period, by the seventeenth century, when scholars used the symbol for footnotes and annotations. It shares its Greek root with words such as 'aster' (the flower), 'asteroid', 'astrolabe', and 'disaster', all of which trace back to the ancient Greek word for star.
How asterisk is actually used
Standard register across formal and informal contexts. The plural is 'asterisks', not the frequently mispronounced or misspelled 'asterixes'. The verb sense — to mark something with an asterisk ('asterisk the relevant lines') — exists but is less common than the noun.
Easily confused with asterisk
'Asterix' is a misspelling of 'asterisk' and also the name of a French comic-book character; the punctuation symbol is always spelled with a final -sk.