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Why "asterix" is a star-crossed misstep

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 17/11/2024, 06:33
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Asterix or asterisk. What's correct?

Spelling error

Why do people make this mistake?

People often confuse "asterix" with "asterisk" due to the similarity in pronunciation and because "Asterix" is a familiar name from the French comic series "Asterix and Obelix".

What is correct?

The correct term is "asterisk", which refers to the typographical symbol (*) used for various purposes, such as indicating footnotes or denoting a wildcard in computing.

Examples of correct usage

  • Please use an asterisk to indicate a footnote.
  • The password must include at least one asterisk as a special character.
  • She placed an asterisk next to the important items.

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