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

Wednesday, the Dalis family was asleep until their 3-year-old German shorthaired pointer began barking urgently from his unlocked crate in the master bedroom, according to homeowners Eleni and Tom Dalis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 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

Ma Charles crooked her pointer finger at Vonetta.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

A keen note-maker, Baker has a book with pointers to remember for each battle but also how to deal with the stress that comes from a debut on cricket's biggest stage.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

Consumer experts generally agree with my approach, and add a few pointers.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 10, 2026

"He's good to give you little pointers and little nuggets of experience that he had in run-ins and things like that, so he's been good as gold," McInnes said.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

Entering the game, the Hoosiers were hot after racking up three consecutive wins, including two in Quad 1, and were known for shooting three pointers at one of the highest rates in the country.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026

There are no coordinates, no way of directing rescuers to a particular place, no pointers to towns just off the map’s edge.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• clue