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

By measuring the tiny movement of the beam with a mirror and a light pointer, Cavendish could determine the gravitational interaction between the masses and obtain information corresponding to the value of big G.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Flash estimate August inflation data for Germany on Monday then for Italy and the eurozone on Tuesday will kick off the week’s data releases, giving an important pointer about the impact of energy prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

“Cute” isn’t the typical word associated with TSA personnel, but this German shorthaired pointer is an exception.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

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

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

She stepped heavily down from the rostrum and pointed the polished pointer at Pearl.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

The feedback started with praise before offering pointers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026

"It also has a striking cross-cultural element. The star pointers carry their standard names in Persian, alongside Sanskrit equivalents etched in the Devanagari script."

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

Sam has been giving him pointers, but Willie is still rough around the edges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026

The pointers came to the wire mesh of the kennel, wriggling like happy snakes and sneezing with enthusiasm, and even the sickly one came out of his house and fleered at us.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• clue