diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 82b49f7..921f1b1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ This code is an evolution of that parser.
     - [Basic options](#basic-options)
     - [Commands](#commands)
     - [Active options/commands](#active-optionscommands)
+    - [Pattern options](#pattern-options)
     - [Nested parsers](#nested-parsers)
     - [Stopping](#stopping)
     - [Error reporting](#error-reporting)
@@ -335,6 +336,7 @@ For more info on available `.type` and `.collect` handlers see:
 respectively.
 
 
+
 ### Commands
 
 The only difference between an _option_ and a _command_ is the prefix (`"-"` vs. `"@"`) 
@@ -383,6 +385,26 @@ it expects), `argv.js` poses no restrictions on full or partial manual handling
 of arguments by options/commands.
 
 
+
+### Pattern options
+
+Pattern option/command keys enable partial input key matching.
+```javascript
+    '-prefix-*': {
+        doc: 'Pattern option',
+        handler: function(rest, key){
+            // ...
+        } },
+```
+
+The above code will match any _unhandled_ input option starting with 
+`-prefix-`/`--prefix-` and push the explicitly `false` value back to the option 
+queue.
+
+A pattern option/command is any option with a key containing `"*"`.
+
+
+
 ### Nested parsers
 
 An options/command handler can also be a full fledged parser.
@@ -551,6 +573,7 @@ Options:
         -c                      - command
              --active           - basic active option
         -s,  --shorthand-active - shorthand-active
+             --prefix-*         - Pattern option
              --then             - then
              --stop             - stop
              --error            - error
diff --git a/argv.js b/argv.js
index a292a00..06bd202 100644
--- a/argv.js
+++ b/argv.js
@@ -429,10 +429,11 @@ object.Constructor('Parser', {
 		prefix = prefix.length == 0 ?
 			[OPTION_PREFIX]
 			: prefix
+		var attrs = object.deepKeys(that, Parser.prototype)
 		return prefix
 			.map(function(prefix){
 				var handlers = {}
-				object.deepKeys(that, Parser.prototype)
+				attrs
 					.forEach(function(opt){
 						if(!opt.startsWith(prefix)){
 							return }
@@ -496,6 +497,28 @@ object.Constructor('Parser', {
 	requiredArguments: function(){
 		return this.requiredOptions('allArguments') },
 
+	//
+	//	.patternArguments()
+	//		-> list
+	//
+	//	Get list of pattern args that key matches...
+	//	.patternArguments(key)
+	//		-> list
+	//
+	// NOTE: list is sorted by option length...
+	// NOTE: pattern->pattern aliases are not currently supported...
+	// NOTE: output is of the same format as .options(..)
+	// NOTE: when changing this revise a corresponding section in .handler(..)
+	patternArguments: function(key){
+		return this.allArguments()
+			.filter(function([[opt]]){
+				return opt.includes('*') 
+					&& (key == null 
+						|| (new RegExp(`^${ opt.split('*').join('.*') }$`)).test(key)) })
+			// sort longest first...
+		   	.sort(function(a, b){
+				return b[0][0].length - a[0][0].length }) },
+
 	// Get handler...
 	//
 	// 	.handler(key)
@@ -523,6 +546,19 @@ object.Constructor('Parser', {
 					// report loop...
 					'loop', [...seen, key]] }
 			seen.add(key) }
+		// check pattern options...
+		// NOTE: we are not using .patternArguments(..) because .options(..) 
+		// 		used there uses .handler(..) and this breaks things...
+		if(!(key in this) && key != '-*'){
+			key = object.deepKeys(this, Parser.prototype)
+					.filter(function(opt){
+						return opt.includes('*') 
+							&& (key == null 
+								|| (new RegExp(`^${ opt.split('*').join('.*') }$`))
+									.test(key)) })
+					.sort(function(a, b){
+						return b[0][0].length - a[0][0].length })[0] 
+				|| key }
 		return [key, this[key],
 			// report dead-end if this[key] is undefined...
 			...(this[key] ? 
diff --git a/examples/options.js b/examples/options.js
index 0983c0f..7740c40 100644
--- a/examples/options.js
+++ b/examples/options.js
@@ -120,6 +120,12 @@ argv.Parser({
 		// ...
 	},
 
+	'-prefix-*': {
+        doc: 'Pattern option',
+        handler: function(rest, key){
+       		// ... 
+		},
+    },
 
 	'@nested': argv.Parser({
 			// ...
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b68aa48..408d34d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ig-argv",
-  "version": "2.15.7",
+  "version": "2.16.0",
   "description": "simple argv parser",
   "main": "argv.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index c645c3c..9fbc412 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ var setups =
 test.Setups({
 	bare: function(){
 		return require('./examples/bare').parser },
-	options: function(){
+	opts: function(){
 		return require('./examples/options').parser },
 	lang: function(){
 		return require('./examples/lang').parser },
 	chain: function(){
 		return require('./examples/chain').parser },
 
-	// NOTE: this will also load .bare, .options and .lang
+	// NOTE: this will also load .bare, .opts and .lang
 	basic: function(assert){
 		return argv.Parser({
 			// disable exit on error...
@@ -175,13 +175,15 @@ test.Setups({
 
 
 			'@bare': setups.bare(assert),
-			'@opts': setups.options(assert),
+			'@opts': setups.opts(assert),
 			'@lang': setups.lang(assert),
 			'@chain': setups.chain(assert),
 
 
 			// collision test...
 			// NOTE: values of these will shadow the API...
+			// XXX need to either warn the user of this or think of a 
+			// 		way to avoid this...
 			'@options': {},
 			'-handler': {},
 		})