Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce asterisk

AS-tuh-risk - three syllables, ending in '-risk'

US/ˈæstəˌɹɪsk/

æstəɹɪsk

UK/ˈæstəɹɪsk/

æstəɹɪsk

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

Often said 'AS-ter-ix' or 'AS-trick'; the ending is '-risk'.

What “asterisk” means

A small star; also (by extension), something resembling or shaped like a star.

In a sentence

  • The editor used an asterisk to mark footnotes at the bottom of the page.
  • In printed text, an asterisk can also indicate that letters or words have been omitted.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.