Glob wildcard

An asterisk standing for any run of characters in a filename pattern.

Also known as: Wildcard star

Everyday & digitalStandard profile

Meanings

In a filename pattern the asterisk matches any sequence of characters, including none. It is the oldest and most recognised piece of shell pattern matching, and it is not the same thing as the regular-expression star.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
POSIX defines the asterisk in a pattern as matching any string, including the empty string.
Contexts: Software
Common modern usageVerified fact
The shell expands the pattern against existing filenames before the command runs, so the command receives a list of names and never sees the pattern itself.
Contexts: Software

Visual description

A small star of straight strokes radiating from a common centre, set high against the line of text.

Symmetry: radial
Orientation: upright

Commonly confused with: Kleene star
Both are asterisks in pattern matching, and they mean different things: the glob star matches any characters, the regular-expression star repeats whatever precedes it.
Commonly confused with: Asterisk
The same character. The asterisk is the typographic mark; the glob wildcard is what a shell does with it.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

glob (programming)
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-08-01
Tertiary reference. Used for widely-agreed identity, origin and current use, not for contested detail or exact dates.
POSIX.1-2024, Shell Command Language
The Open Group / IEEE · retrieved 2026-08-01
Cited for the shell's operator grammar — which characters are operators and what they do — and for nothing outside it. It standardises a notation that already existed rather than inventing one, so records here describe documented practice that POSIX also pins down.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

Part of

Shell operators

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Meanings

Officially standardisedVerified fact

POSIX defines the asterisk in a pattern as matching any string, including the empty string.

Contexts: Software

Common modern usageVerified fact

The shell expands the pattern against existing filenames before the command runs, so the command receives a list of names and never sees the pattern itself.

Contexts: Software

Related & commonly confused symbols

Commonly confused with: Kleene star
Both are asterisks in pattern matching, and they mean different things: the glob star matches any characters, the regular-expression star repeats whatever precedes it.
Commonly confused with: Asterisk
The same character. The asterisk is the typographic mark; the glob wildcard is what a shell does with it.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard.
Historical originModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard.
Visual matchHigh confidence: High confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references.

Sources

glob (programming)
Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-08-01
Tertiary reference. Used for widely-agreed identity, origin and current use, not for contested detail or exact dates.
POSIX.1-2024, Shell Command Language
The Open Group / IEEE · retrieved 2026-08-01
Cited for the shell's operator grammar — which characters are operators and what they do — and for nothing outside it. It standardises a notation that already existed rather than inventing one, so records here describe documented practice that POSIX also pins down.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01