The asterisk *, multiplication sign ×, and star operator ⋆ can all appear in mathematical or technical contexts, but they are different Unicode characters.
* is U+002A ASTERISK, a general-purpose keyboard character. × is U+00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN. ⋆ is U+22C6 STAR OPERATOR, a mathematical operator whose meaning is defined by the notation in which it appears.
Asterisk, Multiplication Sign, and Star Operator at a Glance
| Symbol | Unicode name | Code point | Typical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | ASTERISK | U+002A | Footnotes, wildcards, programming, and plain-text multiplication |
| × | MULTIPLICATION SIGN | U+00D7 | Mathematical multiplication and other product notation |
| ⋆ | STAR OPERATOR | U+22C6 | Mathematical operator with context-dependent meaning |
These marks belong to a larger group of punctuation and operator symbols in which similar shapes can have very different technical roles.
What Is the Asterisk *?
* is U+002A ASTERISK.
It is part of ASCII and is available directly on standard keyboards. Unicode notes that the glyph can have five or six spokes, so its exact appearance varies by typeface.
The asterisk has many uses, including:
- footnote markers;
- wildcards;
- programming operators;
- regular-expression syntax;
- redaction or omitted letters;
- plain-text multiplication;
- other technical conventions.
The character does not have one universal meaning; context determines its role.
Asterisk as a Footnote Marker
One traditional use of the asterisk is to mark a note or annotation:
Example text*
The corresponding note may begin with another asterisk:
* Additional information.
Other marks, such as daggers, can be used when a document needs additional footnote symbols.
Asterisk as a Wildcard
Many software systems use * as a wildcard.
For example:
*.txt
may represent files with a particular extension in a shell, file picker, or search system that uses this convention.
Wildcard rules vary by application. Unicode encodes the character but does not define its wildcard behavior.
Asterisk in Programming
Programming languages assign many different meanings to the asterisk.
Depending on the language and position, * may represent:
- multiplication;
- pointer-related operations;
- dereferencing;
- argument expansion;
- repetition;
- pattern matching;
- other language-specific syntax.
The language grammar determines which meaning applies.
Why Is * Used for Multiplication?
The dedicated multiplication sign × is not available directly on most standard keyboards, while * is part of ASCII.
As a result, programming languages, calculators, spreadsheets, and plain-text expressions often use:
3 * 4
instead of:
3 × 4
Both may communicate multiplication to a reader, but the central characters are different.
What Is the Multiplication Sign ×?
× is U+00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN.
It is a mathematical operator most familiar from multiplication:
3 × 4 = 12
Depending on the mathematical field, the same character can also appear in product notation with a more specialized meaning. Unicode, for example, records a Cartesian-product use in Z notation.
Multiplication Sign × vs Letter x
Compare:
× — U+00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN
x — U+0078 LATIN SMALL LETTER X
Depending on the font, they can look very similar.
The multiplication sign is generally designed as a centered mathematical cross, while the lowercase letter follows the typeface’s alphabetic design. That visual distinction is not always obvious, so the code point is the reliable identifier.
Asterisk * vs Multiplication Sign ×
Both forms are commonly seen in multiplication:
6 * 7
6 × 7
But they have different broader roles:
- * is a general-purpose keyboard and punctuation character;
- × is a dedicated mathematical multiplication sign.
In source code, the asterisk is often required because that is the character the programming language defines as its multiplication operator. Replacing it with U+00D7 can make the code invalid.
What Is the Star Operator ⋆?
⋆ is U+22C6 STAR OPERATOR.
It belongs to Unicode’s Mathematical Operators block. Unlike U+00D7, it does not imply one universal operation.
For example:
a ⋆ b
may denote a binary operation that has been defined for the particular mathematical context.
The surrounding definition tells you what the star operation means.
Star Operator ⋆ vs Asterisk *
These are separate Unicode characters:
* — U+002A ASTERISK
⋆ — U+22C6 STAR OPERATOR
The ordinary asterisk is a general keyboard character. The star operator is specifically encoded as a mathematical operator.
A mathematical author may define ⋆ to represent a particular operation without implying ordinary multiplication.
What Is the Asterisk Operator ∗?
Unicode also contains:
∗ — U+2217 ASTERISK OPERATOR
This adds another important distinction.
| Symbol | Name | Code point | General role |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | ASTERISK | U+002A | General-purpose punctuation / technical character |
| ∗ | ASTERISK OPERATOR | U+2217 | Mathematical operator |
| × | MULTIPLICATION SIGN | U+00D7 | Mathematical multiplication sign |
| ⋆ | STAR OPERATOR | U+22C6 | Mathematical star operator |
U+2217 keeps an asterisk-like appearance while being encoded with mathematical-operator properties.
Asterisk Operator ∗ vs Star Operator ⋆
The names sound similar, but the characters are visually and semantically distinct.
∗ retains an asterisk-like spoke structure.
⋆ has a more star-like outline.
Both are mathematical operators, and neither has one universal mathematical meaning outside its surrounding notation or definition.
Multiplication Sign × vs Vector or Cross Product ⨯
Unicode also contains:
⨯ — U+2A2F VECTOR OR CROSS PRODUCT
This is separate from U+00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN.
Cross-shaped notation can therefore represent ordinary multiplication, a Cartesian product, a vector cross product, or another product depending on the character and mathematical context.
Asterisk * vs Decorative Stars
The ordinary asterisk should also not be confused with geometric or decorative stars.
For example:
★ — U+2605 BLACK STAR
☆ — U+2606 WHITE STAR
⭐ — U+2B50 WHITE MEDIUM STAR
These are star symbols rather than the ASCII asterisk or mathematical star operator.
Why Font Design Makes This Confusing
Asterisks vary significantly between fonts. Unicode explicitly notes that U+002A can have five or six spokes.
Mathematical characters such as ∗ and ⋆ are designed for mathematical layout, but at small text sizes some of these symbols can still look very similar.
Why the Difference Matters in Code
If a programming language expects:
a * b
then replacing the asterisk with:
a × b
or:
a ⋆ b
changes the source text. Even if a human reader understands the intended multiplication, the parser may not recognize the replacement character.
Why the Difference Matters in Mathematics
Mathematical notation deliberately uses multiple operator shapes because different contexts need different operations.
For example:
- × can denote multiplication or another cross-shaped product;
- ⋅ is a dot operator commonly used for multiplication;
- ⋆ may denote a specially defined star operation;
- ∗ is a separate asterisk-shaped mathematical operator.
The intended operation comes from the notation and surrounding definitions, not from shape alone.
How to Tell Which Star-Like Symbol You Have
Start with context:
- A keyboard character in source code is likely U+002A *.
- A cross used for ordinary multiplication may be U+00D7 ×.
- A star-shaped mathematical operator may be U+22C6 ⋆.
- An asterisk-shaped mathematical operator may be U+2217 ∗.
- A decorative star may be a symbol such as ★.
If the mark comes from copied text or a formula and is difficult to distinguish by eye, paste it into What Is This Symbol and inspect the actual Unicode character.
The Main Difference
- * is U+002A ASTERISK, a general-purpose keyboard character;
- × is U+00D7 MULTIPLICATION SIGN;
- ∗ is U+2217 ASTERISK OPERATOR;
- ⋆ is U+22C6 STAR OPERATOR;
- the symbols can sometimes appear in related mathematical contexts but are not interchangeable characters.
When exact text matters, check both the intended operation and the Unicode code point rather than choosing whichever star or cross looks closest.