PAL

Ptolemaeus Arabus et Latinus

_ (the underscore) is the placeholder for exactly one character.
% (the percent sign) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character.
%% (two percent signs) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character, but not for blank space (so that a search ends at word boundaries).

At the beginning and at the end, these placeholders are superfluous.

orbe épicycle ‘epicycle’

French. – Grammar: n.

References: PH Morelon: I.9:5, 28:24
Translation of:
Arabic: فلك التدوير [Alm. MS Leiden: f. 38v. – PH Morelon: I.9:5, 29:18]