WITCH star: Revision 2
"splat", "dont care", "whatever"
-- used when you do not care or want a sensible "largest default"
* can be used like you always have, for multiplication
Operators containing this character
*= mutant assignment form of multiplication
When used inside regexes
* and *? as a "0 or more" repeat count
* in a prototype designates an array or hash as slurpy
Hyper operator and meta operator restrictions
Generally as the core operator in any meta or hyper operator, * takes its multiplicative meaning.
Old, deprecated, or other language uses