as ‧ te ‧ risk /ˈæst ə rɪsk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Late Latin ; Origin: asteriscus , from Greek , 'little star' , from aster ; ⇨ ↑ asteroid ]
a mark like a star (*), used especially to show something interesting or important
—asterisk verb [transitive]
• • •
THESAURUS
■ other marks used in writing
▪ angle brackets British English a pair of signs <> used for enclosing information
▪ slash a line / that is used to separate words, numbers, or letters
▪ backslash a line that is used to separate words, numbers, or letters
▪ asterisk the sign * that is used especially to mark something interesting or important
▪ at sign the sign @ that is used especially in email addresses
▪ ampersand the sign & that means ‘and’