proper name for python * operator?

Question

What is the correct name for operator *, as in function(*args)? unpack, unzip, something else?

Answer 1

One can also call * a gather parameter (when used in function arguments definition) or a scatter operator (when used at function invocation).

As seen here: Think Python/Tuples/Variable-length argument tuples.

Answer 2

The Python Tutorial simply calls it 'the *-operator'. It performs unpacking of arbitrary argument lists.