I. ˈas-tə-ˌrisk, especially in plural also ÷-ˌrik noun
Etymology: Middle English, astarisc, from Late Latin asteriscus, from Greek asteriskos, literally, little star, diminutive of aster-, astēr
Date: 14th century
: the character * used in printing or writing as a reference mark, as an indication of the omission of letters or words, to denote a hypothetical or unattested linguistic form, or for various arbitrary meanings
• as·ter·isk·less -ləs adjective
II. transitive verb
Date: circa 1733
: to mark with an asterisk : star