Wildcard (noun)

1. A character or symbol that can be used to represent any other character or symbol in a search or command.
2. A participant in a competition or event who is not expected to win, but is allowed to participate as a replacement for a higher-ranked player or team.

Origin:

The word "wildcard" is a metaphor from card games, where a wildcard is a card that can be used to represent any other card. the term was first used in the context of computer programming and later in sports and other competitive events to refer to a player or team that is not expected to win, but is allowed to participate as a replacement for a higher-ranked player or team. the term was first used in the 1960s.

Examples:

1. The search function in the database allows the use of wildcards, such as an asterisk (*) to represent any number of characters.
2. As a wildcard, he managed to surprise everyone by winning the tournament.
3. The team was given a wildcard entry into the playoffs.
4. The computer programming language supports the use of wildcards in regular expressions.
5. The wildcard player was able to defeat the top seed in the first round.