What does the asterisk * mean in front of an Indo-European word?
The * indicates that the word is a reconstruction and not a historically-documented word — there are no inscriptions or books written in Indo-European. The * serves as a reminder that the reconstruction depends on an interpretation of evidence from languages that descend from Indo-European and from knowledge of linguistics. That means that reconstructions vary in authority and probability. However, the core vocabulary and grammar of the language are well-established and agreed-on by almost all historical linguists. Details of pronunciation, not surprisingly, are still subject to debate and discussion.
