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.

winter (solsticial) shadow ‘winter (solsticial) shadow’

English

References: Alm. Toomer: 84
Translation of:
Greek: χειμερινὴ σκιά [Alm. Heiberg: II.6, 106:5,17-18]