asterisk etymology

Etymology:

The word "asterisk" comes from the Greek word "asteriskos" (ἀστερίσκος), which literally means "little star".

Meaning and Origin:

Originally, an asterisk was a small star symbol (*) used in ancient manuscripts and inscriptions to mark passages for emphasis, reference, or deletion.

• In ancient Greek, it was called "asteriskos" and was used as a mark to designate a passage as important or noteworthy.
• In Latin, it became known as "asteriscus" and retained its function as a reference mark.
• In early typography, the asterisk was used to mark footnotes, references, or textual variants.

• In modern usage, the asterisk has several meanings, depending on the context:

  • As a symbol of importance, it can indicate required fields or key information.
  • As a reference mark, it can link to footnotes, notes, or other additional information.
  • As a wildcard character, it can represent any letter or sequence of letters in a search or text processing operation.
  • In phonetics, it can indicate a long vowel sound or syllable boundary.
  • In mathematics, it can denote multiplication, transpose, or complex conjugation.

asterisk relate terms

• aster

  Etymology Greek ἀστήρ astḗr Meaning Star Origin The word aster or

• asterisk

• asterism

  Etymology The word asterism comes from the Greek asterismos meaning a group of stars

• asteroid

  Etymology The word asteroid comes from the Greek words aster star and eidos for

• astral

  Etymology The word astral is derived from the Greek word αστρον astron meani

• astro

  Etymology and Meaning The word astro is derived from the Greek word ástron which m

• astrobiology

  Etymology and Origin The term astrobiology was coined in 1953 by the American physicis

• astrobleme

  Etymology From Ancient Greek ἄστρον ástron star and βλῆμα blēm

• astrognosy

  Etymology Astro Greek for star Gnosis Greek for knowledge Meaning Astrognosy

• astroid

  Etymology The word astroid is derived from the Greek word aster which means star

• astrolabe

  Etymology The word astrolabe is derived from the Greek words astro star lab to tak

• astrolatry

  Etymology Astro Greek Star Latry Greek Worship Meaning Astrolatry is

• astrology

  Etymology The word astrology is derived from Greek ἄστρον astron meaning s

• astromancy

  Etymology Astromancy is derived from two Greek words astron ἄστρον mean

• astronaut

  Etymology The word astronaut is derived from two Greek roots Astro meaning star N

• astronomy

  Etymology The word astronomy is derived from the Greek words astron ἄστρον

• AstroTurf

  Etymology The term AstroTurf is a combination of two words Astro From astronaut

• constellation

  Etymology The word constellation is derived from the Latin word constellatio which

• disaster

  Etymology The word disaster comes from the Middle French word desastre which in turn

• Estella

  Etymology The name Estella has multiple etymological origins Latin stella meaning

• Esther

  Etymology Hebrew אֶסְתֵּר êster Meaning Star Origin Esther i

• instellation

  Etymology and Origin The word instillation comes from the Latin word instillare mean

• interstellar

  Etymology and Origin The word interstellar is derived from the Latin words inter

• lodestar

  Etymology of Lodestar The word lodestar is a compound of two Old English words lā

• star

  Etymology The word star derives from the Old English word steorra which in turn orig

• stardust

  Etymology Star Old English steorra Dust Old English dust Meaning Fine spa

• starfish

  Etymology Star from Old English steorra Refers to its radial symmetry resembling

• starlet

  Etymology The word starlet comes from the Middle English word sterrelet which is de

• starlight

  Etymology Late Middle English in the sense starlight from star light Mean

• starry

  Etymology The word starry is derived from the Proto Indo European root h₂ster me

• stellar

  Etymology The word stellar originates from the Latin word stella which means star

• stellate

  Etymology The word stellate originates from the Latin word stellatus which means s

• star

  Etymology The word star derives from the Old English word steorra which in turn orig

• star

  Etymology The word star derives from the Old English word steorra which in turn orig

• mark

  Etymology The name Mark is derived from the Proto Indo European root merk meaning

• character

  Character Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word character derives from th

• oath

  Etymology The word oath comes from the Old English word að which means oath Thi

• history

  Etymology Greek ἱστορία historia inquiry knowledge acquired by investigati

• Appalachian

  Etymology Appalachian is derived from the Apalachee people a Native American tribe th

• dust

  Etymology The word dust comes from the Old English word dūst which in turn is deriv

• mean

  Etymology Old English mǣne Proto Germanic mainiz Proto Indo European mei to think