**

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See also: * *

Translingual

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Symbol

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**

  1. (linguistics) When used before a term:
    1. (descriptive linguistics) Indicates that a term or phrase is more grammatically incorrect (or otherwise ill-formed) than another.
      Coordinate term: *
      Compare the following incorrect sentences:
      *Eats like pig.
      **Pig like eats.
    2. (historical linguistics) Indicates that the term has been invented for the sake of argument and is not assumed to have been real.
      Coordinate term: *
      If Hebrew תָּמָר (tamár⁩, dates) were cognate to Aramaic תְּמָרָא (təmārā, dates) instead of being borrowed from it, the Hebrew form would be שָׁמָר** (**shamár), for thus is the regular correspondence of the Proto-Semitic * present in its cognate Arabic ثَمَر (ṯamar, fruits).
  2. (programming) Exponentiation.
    n**2 = n² = n × n

Usage notes

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  • (descriptive linguistics): Further asterisks may be added as required.