Pronunciation: [ˈastəɹˌɪsk] (IPA) 
The word "asterisk" is spelled with nine letters but it is pronounced with four syllables. It is pronounced as /ˈæs.tər.ɪsk/ with the stress on the second syllable. The "a" is pronounced as /æ/, the "s" is pronounced as /s/, the "t" is pronounced as /t/, the "e" is pronounced as /ə/, the "r" is pronounced as /r/, the "i" is pronounced as /ɪ/, the "s" is pronounced as /s/ and the "k" is pronounced as /k/.
An asterisk is a symbol or punctuation mark (*) used to denote or indicate various meanings or functions within a text or document. It typically appears as a small star-like figure with five or more points radiating from a central dot.
In writing or printing, the primary purpose of an asterisk is to draw attention to a specific piece of information or to provide additional clarification, emphasis, or annotation to the text it accompanies. It is often used as a footnote marker, indicating that there is a corresponding note or explanation located at the bottom of the page, serving as a reference for further details or sources. The asterisk also functions as a wildcard character in computer programming languages, signifying any number of characters or values in a search or pattern matching operation.
Furthermore, the term "asterisk" can also be used metaphorically to describe an exception or qualification to a statement or claim. In colloquial language, it is commonly employed to denote that something is not entirely truthful or is subject to certain conditions. For instance, the phrase "results may vary*" seen in advertisements indicates that the advertised outcome could differ from person to person or that there are specific circumstances where the claim may not hold true.
Overall, the asterisk serves as a versatile and widely recognized symbol used in various domains to provide further information, enhance comprehension, and maintain accuracy in communication.
A small star used to refer to a note, or to mark the omission of words; a constellation or star cluster.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "asterisk" derives from the Late Latin term "asteriscus", which comes from the Greek word "asteriskos" meaning "little star". The term was used to represent a small star-shaped character (*) used in ancient manuscripts as a punctuation mark.
