pointer

American  

[poin-ter] / ˈpɔɪn tər /

noun

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.

---

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

---

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

Priscilla Pointer, the ‘Dallas’ actor who was prolific on stage, big screen and TV, died Monday at 100.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

“The unflappable Pointer sails above the general mayhem with a ladylike aplomb that makes her subsequent emotional epiphany all the more moving,” The Times wrote about Pointer’s performance in that show.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2025

For 44 episodes of CBS’ series “Dallas,” Pointer played Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, Pamela and Cliff’s mother and the head of a rival oil family.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2025

Law enforcement agencies “all the way from local to state to federal government” could be “very interested” in 23andMe’s trove of genetic information, Adanté Pointer, a civil rights attorney in Oakland, told Salon.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2025

He had been a West Pointer, had left the army to become a lawyer, a prosecutor.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

Related Words

• clue