The star (*) is a symbol commonly used in writing and mathematics. In text, it often indicates a footnote or highlights important information. In mathematics, it can represent multiplication, such as in the expression 3 * 4, which equals 12. In computing, the star is frequently used as a wildcard character, representing any number of characters in search queries. For example, searching for file* might return results for file1, file2, or fileABC. Its versatility makes the star a valuable tool in various fields, including programming and data management.