pointer

American  

[poin-ter] / ˈpɔɪn tər /

noun

pointers plural

1. a person or thing that points.

2. a long, tapering stick used by teachers, lecturers, etc., in pointing things out on a map, blackboard, or the like.

3. the hand on a watch dial, clock face, scale, etc.

4. Military. the member of an artillery crew who aims the weapon.

5. one of a breed of short-haired hunting dogs trained to point game.

6. a piece of advice, especially on how to succeed in a specific area.

   The food expert gave some good pointers on making better salads.

   Synonyms:

   caution, suggestion, hint, tip

7. Computers.

   1. an identifier giving the location in storage of something of interest, as a data item, table, or subroutine.

   2. a moveable icon in a graphical user interface, as an arrow, that marks the user’s location in the interface relative to areas of the screen where user input is possible.

8. Astronomy. Pointers, the two outer stars of the Big Dipper that lie on a line that passes very near Polaris and are used for finding it.

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pointer British  

/ ˈpɔɪntə /

noun

1. a person or thing that points

2. an indicator on a measuring instrument

3. a long rod or cane used by a lecturer to point to parts of a map, blackboard, etc

4. one of a breed of large swift smooth-coated dogs, usually white with black, liver, or lemon markings: when on shooting expeditions it points to the bird with its nose, body, and tail in a straight line

5. a helpful piece of information or advice

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pointers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pointer

First recorded in 1490–1500; point + -er ¹

Explanation

A pointer is something that is used to indicate a specific direction or spot, such as an arrow, a long stick, or a computer cursor. It's also the name of a dog breed. German shorthaired pointers and English pointers are varieties of a dog breed that bird hunters have worked with for generations. When these lean, muscular dogs smell grouse or pheasants, they freeze in place, noses pointed in the birds' direction. Non-canine pointers include those arrow icons moved across a computer screen by using a mouse or trackpad, and those long sticks that movie characters and professors use to point at big maps or projected images. Another kind of pointer is a suggestion or tip: "Here's a pointer for you: don't drink coffee right before bedtime!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pointer pointers

The balls of both feet and the ends of both pointer toes had been mashed into misshapen blisters.

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

But it was Wales who reacted best, Rogers scooping up a Dan Edwards pass out of the backdoor to cross for a five pointer the outside-half also converted.

From Barron's ● Nov. 22, 2025

As she scrabbled for a laser pointer in her large handbag, her coloratura was comically on point, though she was inaudible in her middle range during the cabaletta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2025

That’s a pointer to one of Musk’s most dearly held goals, which is to populate Mars with humans, transported to the Red Planet presumably by Musk’s rocketship company SpaceX.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024

All five fingers spread on his right, just his pointer finger up on his left.

From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds

Some extra pointers on rate locks may help buyers decide if the move is right for them.

From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026

According to Sotheby's, the piece contains 94 cities inscribed within it, each marked with their respective longitudes and latitudes, along with 38 star pointers linked by intricate floral tracery.

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

Bronny James had a strong game off the bench with 11 points on four-for-seven shooting, three-for-four on three pointers, and four assists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

Jane regularly does digit “workouts” and complains her pointers are sore.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026

A year ago, he would have gone down there himself and tried to give pointers.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• clue