【趣谈英语】星号，小星星？-An Asterisk Is A Little Star

An asterisk is a star-shaped symbol used in typography. It comes from a Greek word meaning “little star”. The word “asterisk” is a commonly mispronounced word. Many people incorrectly say “as-tuh-riks” instead of “as-tuh-risk”. Learning the proper spelling of this symbol can help you remember the pronunciation. There are a few different uses for the asterisk. Most commonly, the asterisk is used to indicate to the reader that there will be a note or extra information at the bottom of a piece of text. Two or more asterisks² are used to show that there is a second or additional note to review. In an advertisement or contest, an asterisk is often used to state conditions or rules. This extra information is also referred to as the “small print” or “fine print” because it is usually written in a smaller sized type. The asterisk is occasionally used in place of a vowel³ in a swear word. It can also be used as an actual star in a rating. The best rating is typically 5*. Some people also use the asterisk as a bullet point.