How Do You Spell WILDCARD?

Pronunciation: [wˈa͡ɪldkɑːd] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "wildcard" is interesting because it actually emphasizes the sound of the letter "i." In IPA phonetic transcription, the word would be spelled as /ˈwaɪldkɑrd/. The "i" sound is represented by the letter combination "i+ld," which is followed by the letter "a" to produce the "ay" sound. The "ar" sound at the end is spelled as "a+rd." Despite its unconventional spelling, "wildcard" is a commonly used term in various fields, such as sports, technology, and gaming.

WILDCARD Meaning and Definition

1. A wildcard is a symbol or character that represents one or more unknown values or elements, allowing for flexibility and wider search capabilities in computer programming and related fields. It is often used in search queries, text matching, and pattern recognition in various contexts.

   In computer programming, a wildcard can be a special character, such as an asterisk (*) or question mark (?), that substitutes for other characters. For instance, using the query "c*d" with an asterisk would return results like "card," "cold," or "cord," where the symbol represents any number of unknown characters.

   Similarly, in database systems, a wildcard is employed to match specific patterns in queries. The percent sign (%) is often used as a wildcard symbol to represent any sequence of characters, while the underscore (_) stands for a single character. These wildcards enhance the search functionality by allowing for broader or more specific matches.

   Furthermore, in the context of sports, a wildcard refers to an entry or participant who is allowed to compete in a tournament or playoff despite not meeting the necessary qualification standards. Wildcard entries are often chosen based on special circumstances or their past performance, injecting an element of surprise or unpredictability into the event.

   In summary, a wildcard is a versatile symbol or character used in computer programming and other fields to represent unknown or varied elements, enabling flexible searches, pattern matching, and entry provisions.

Common Misspellings for WILDCARD

• wildcar
• wilecard
• wilcard
• wyldcard
• wildeayd
• souldcard

Etymology of WILDCARD

The term "wildcard" originated in the field of card games, particularly in poker, where it was first used to refer to a playing card that can substitute for any other card. The "wild" in wildcard refers to this card's ability to represent or stand in for any other card.

The term was eventually adopted in the realm of computer programming in the 1960s. In software development, a wildcard character (usually represented by an asterisk *) was used to represent any character or group of characters within a search pattern. The concept behind this usage is similar to the card game's wildcard, as it allows for a more flexible and broad search for patterns in text.

Similar spelling words for WILDCARD

• wild calla,
• wild garlic,
• wildes,
• wild ass,
• wild card,
• wild clary,
• wild crocus,
• wildcatter,
• wild ox,
• wild crab,
• wild dog,
• wildcat,
• wild carrot,
• wild duck,
• wilds.