asterisk

American  

[as-tuh-risk] / ˈæs tə rɪsk /

noun

asterisks plural

1. a small starlike symbol (*), used in writing and printing as a reference mark or to indicate omission, doubtful matter, etc.

2. Linguistics. the figure of a star (*) used to mark an utterance that would be considered ungrammatical or otherwise unacceptable by native speakers of a language, as in

   * I enjoy to ski.

3. Historical Linguistics. the figure of a star (*) used to mark a hypothetical or reconstructed form that is not attested in a text or inscription.

4. something in the shape of a star or asterisk.

5. any factor or element that makes an otherwise outstanding achievement somewhat doubtful or less impressive.

   Two favorites were injured in practice, so his win comes with an asterisk attached.

6. a minor or insignificant person or thing.

   his unlikely rise from an asterisk in the polls to the winning candidate.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark with an asterisk.

asterisk British  

/ ˈæstərɪsk /

noun

1. a star-shaped character (*) used in printing or writing to indicate a cross-reference to a footnote, an omission, etc

2. 1. (in historical linguistics) this sign used to indicate an unattested reconstructed form

   2. (in descriptive linguistics) this sign used to indicate that an expression is ungrammatical or in some other way unacceptable

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verb

1. (tr) to mark with an asterisk

Pronunciation

While asterisk is usually said as , with the in the final syllable preceding the , a metathesized pronunciation is also heard, in which the and change places producing . This pronunciation, resulting in part from analogy with plural forms like kicks and sticks, can sometimes lead to a false analysis of as a plural pronunciation, with a corresponding singular . The metathesized pronunciation, although occasionally heard among educated speakers, is usually considered nonstandard, as is the pronunciation of the singular form with no in the final syllable.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• asterisks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of asterisk

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin asteriscus < Greek asterískos, diminutive of astḗr star

Explanation

When you're writing something and need to add a quick footnote, an easy way to mark the place where you want to include the extra comment is to use an asterisk, a star-shaped symbol. An asterisk is a punctuation mark that you can use to note something in writing, or to stand in for something you've left out. Often a writer uses an asterisk when she wants to add something but doesn't want to include it in the body of the story; the reader sees the asterisk, and finds another one at the bottom of the page beside the note. In Greek, asterikos means "little star," which perfectly describes what an asterisk looks like.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

asterisk asterisks

Some cinema snobs might find Letterboxd a distasteful asterisk on film culture.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

“Appearance is paid for and authorized by each candidate and ballot measure which is designated by” an asterisk.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

The upswing from February requires a little asterisk.

From Slate ● Apr. 3, 2026

The decline in the unemployment rate came with an asterisk: The labor force shrank by nearly 400,000 people, meaning fewer Americans were counted as unemployed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

And there it was between Jonas N. and Luke S. With an asterisk next to it.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Little by little they found out that some of those things weren’t worth having and all of them came with asterisks.

From Salon ● May 31, 2026

But the British Cycling website listed the village as the word Three followed by five asterisks before later correcting the mistake.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025

Also, his estimate arose from abstruse economic formulas and lots of magic asterisks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2025

With several asterisks, qualifications and caveats, Mickey Mouse in his earliest form will be the leader of the band of characters, films and books that will become public domain as the year turns to 2024.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 14, 2023

Naturally, she had never heard the word spoken, or seen it in print, or come across it in asterisks.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan