pointer

[poin-ter] /ˈpɔɪn tər/

noun

a person or thing that points.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Origin

1490-1500; point + -er¹

Synonyms

6. tip, hint, suggestion, caution.

British Dictionary definitions for pointers

Pointers

/ˈpɔɪntəz/

plural noun

the Pointers, the two brightest stars in the Plough (Dubhe and Merak), which lie in the direction pointing towards the Pole Star and are therefore used to locate it

pointer

/ˈpɔɪntə/

noun

a person or thing that points

an indicator on a measuring instrument

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

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

a helpful piece of information or advice

Word Origin and History for pointers

pointer

mid-14c., "a tiler" (early 13c. as a surname), agent noun from point (v.). From c.1500 as "maker of needlepoint lace." From 1570s as "thing that points;" meaning "dog that stands rigid in the presence of game, facing the quarry" is recorded from 1717. Meaning "item of advice" first recorded 1883.

Slang definitions & phrases for pointers

pointer

noun

An item of advice or instruction: She gave me a few pointers about how to say it (1883+)

Related Terms

four-pointer