Asterisk Emoji
Symbols
A classic six-pointed star shape, modeled after the physical asterisk key found on standard telephone handsets and computer keyboards.
Usage Context
Used widely in text messaging to denote corrections, emphasize a word, or represent a redaction in profanity. In coding and data entry, it acts as a wildcard or a multiplier. It is frequently grouped with # for automated phone menu prompts.
History
The word comes from the Greek 'asteriskos', meaning 'little star'. While it has been a staple in typography for centuries to mark footnotes, it became a core component of early telecommunications systems when telephone keypads were standardized with the # and asterisk buttons in the 1960s.
Details
Glyph
*
Unicode
U+002A
Shortcode
:emoji_u002a:
HTML Entity
*
Specifications
Vendor Google
Category Symbols
Subcategory math-symbol
Unicode Version 6.0
Emoji Version 1.0
License Apache-2.0 / OFL-1.1
Google Noto License
Emoji graphics by Google. © Google Inc. Licensed under Apache License 2.0 and SIL Open Font License 1.1 where applicable.
Noto Color Emoji graphics are copyrighted by Google Inc. and licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. Font files may also be subject to the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1.