Wildcard

A wildcard is a symbol, character, or entity that can represent one or more other elements within a particular set or dataset. In programming and search engines, wildcards are commonly used to broaden search results or match a variety of inputs without specifying each explicitly. In card games and sports, a wildcard can refer to a participant or entry that is allowed to compete despite not meeting all standard qualifications.

Wildcard meaning with examples

• In a poker game, the player decided to designate one card as a wildcard, allowing it to take the place of any rank, which increased the excitement and unpredictability of the game.
• The search command included a wildcard symbol, enabling users to find all documents that contained similar terms, making it easier to compile relevant files based on partial matches.
• During the playoffs, a team that finished lower in the rankings earned a wildcard spot, allowing them to compete for the championship despite the odds being against them.
• In programming, the developer used a wildcard to fetch all file types in a directory, eliminating the need to specify each extension individually and simplifying the process.
• At the conference, a wildcard entry was chosen to present a new innovation, showcasing that sometimes unconventional choices can lead to groundbreaking ideas and discussions among experts.