Select Star

noun

say it: “suh-LEKT STAR” /səˈlɛkt stɑːr/

SELECT *, a query that returns every column of a table.

What is Select Star in SQL?

Select Star — SELECT *, a query that returns every column of a table. It's handy for a first look at a table you don't know yet; in an app, name the columns you need instead, so a new column never surprises your code.

SELECT * FROM Shippers;   -- ShipperID, CompanyName, Phone

In a sentence

• “I ran a select star on Shippers just to see which columns it has.”

Level: Novice · More SQL terms at this level

Updated October 28, 2026