asterisk

== English == === Etymology === The noun is derived from Middle English asterisk [and other forms], from Late Latin asteriscus (“asterisk; small star”), from Ancient Greek ἀστερῐ́σκος (asterĭ́skos, “asterisk; small star”), from ᾰ̓στήρ (ăstḗr, “celestial body (star, planet, and other lights in the sky such as meteors)”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eHs- (“to burn; to glow”)) + -ῐ́σκος (-ĭ́skos, diminutive suffix). Doublet of asteriscus and piecewise doublet of starrish. Noun sense 1.1.2 (“something which is of little importance or which is marginal”) refers to the use of an asterisk to denote a footnote or marginal note in a text; in other words, information that is not important enough to be incorporated into the main text. Noun sense 1.1.3 (“blemish in an otherwise outstanding achievement”) refers to the use of an asterisk in a sporting record to indicate that the record is qualified in some manner (for example, that the sportsperson was found to have taken performance-enhancing drugs at the time). The verb is derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈæstəɹɪsk/, /ˈæstɹɪsk/ IPA(key): /ˈæstəˌɹɪsk/; (sometimes proscribed) /ˈæst(ə)ˌɹɪks/ Hyphenation: as‧ter‧isk === Noun === asterisk (plural asterisks) (dated) A small star; also (by extension), something resembling or shaped like a star. The star-shaped symbol *, which is used in printing and writing for various purposes, including to refer a reader to a note at the bottom of a page or in a margin, and to indicate the omission of letters or words; a star. Something resembling or shaped like an asterisk symbol. (figuratively) Something which is of little importance or which is marginal; a footnote. (US, sports, figuratively) A blemish in an otherwise outstanding achievement. (Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism) An instrument with radiating arms resembling a star which is placed over the diskos (or paten) used during the Eucharist to prevent the veil covering the chalice and diskos from touching the host on the diskos. Synonym: star-cover ==== Alternative forms ==== asterisc (chiefly archaic) asterix (eye dialect) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== aster asterism asteroid ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== Typography === Verb === asterisk (third-person singular simple present asterisks, present participle asterisking, simple past and past participle asterisked) (transitive) To mark or replace (text, etc.) with an asterisk symbol (*; noun noun sense 1.1); to star. ==== Derived terms ==== asterisked (adjective) unasterisked ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === asterisk on Wikipedia.Wikipedia asterisk (liturgy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia asterisk (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “asterisk”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “asterisk”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. === Anagrams === sarkiest, skaiters == Afrikaans == === Noun === asterisk (plural asteriske) asterisk Synonym: sterretjie == Danish == === Noun === asterisk c (singular definite asterisken, plural indefinite asterisker) asterisk ==== Inflection ==== == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from French astérisque, from Latin asteriscus, from Ancient Greek ἀστερίσκος (asterískos, “little star”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɑs.tə.rɪsk/ === Noun === asterisk m (plural asterisken, diminutive asteriskje n) asterisk Synonym: sterretje === References === van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “asterisk”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute === Further reading === asterisk on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia nl == Swedish == === Noun === asterisk c asterisk ==== Declension ====