How to Pronounce “asterisk”

American (US)

/ˈæstərɪsk/

British (UK)

/ˈæstərɪsk/

noun — A star-shaped symbol (*) used to mark a footnote or an omission.

Example: An asterisk beside the price marked the extra charges.

Where the stress falls. “asterisk” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈæstərɪsk/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈæstərɪsk/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "asterisk" mean?

asterisk (noun): A star-shaped symbol (*) used to mark a footnote or an omission. For example — An asterisk beside the price marked the extra charges.

How do you pronounce "asterisk" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "asterisk", /ˈæstərɪsk/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "asterisk"?

/ˈæstərɪsk/ in American English, /ˈæstərɪsk/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "asterisk"?

“asterisk” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈæstərɪsk/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

• Commonly mispronounced words