ENGLISH
REFERENCE

locator

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫoʊˌkeɪtɝ// UK //ləʊkˈeɪtɐ// lo·ca·tor

n. a tool or person that helps you find where something is. You might use one to find a lost phone or a specific place on a map.

n. a person or device that identifies the position or site of something. Often used in technical contexts to describe software components or hardware sensors that track coordinates.


SIMPLE

The store has a digital locator to help you find products.

CONTEXTUAL

The technician used a cable locator to find the underground wires before the construction crew started digging.

COMPLEX

Modern web browsers include a built-in resource locator that allows users to navigate directly to specific files hosted on remote servers across the globe.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin locātor. By surface analysis, locate + -or.

Usage

Often appears in compound nouns like 'store locator', 'resource locator', or 'emergency locator'.

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