pointer
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a helpful piece of advice or a suggestion on how to do something better.
a useful hint, tip, or piece of practical advice. Often used in the plural.
Simple“The teacher gave me a few pointers on how to improve my essay.”
In context“The veteran journalist offered several pointers to the interns regarding how to conduct themselves during high-pressure interviews.”
UsageCommonly used in the plural form 'pointers' when referring to advice.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
the arrow or icon on a computer screen that moves when you move the mouse.
a movable symbol on a computer screen that indicates the position of the mouse or other pointing device.
Simple“Move the pointer to the top of the screen to see the menu.”
In context“The user interface was designed so that the pointer changes shape when hovering over a clickable hyperlink.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
a long stick or a tool used to show people where to look on a map or board.
a physical object, such as a rod or a laser, used to indicate or direct attention toward a specific location.
Simple“The lecturer used a laser pointer to highlight the data on the slide.”
In context“The guide used a wooden pointer to trace the ancient trade routes on the large wall map.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
a special piece of data in a computer program that tells the computer where to find information in its memory.
a variable that stores the memory address of another value rather than the value itself.
Simple“The program crashed because the pointer was looking at the wrong part of the memory.”
In context“Efficient memory management in C requires a deep understanding of how to manipulate pointers without causing leaks or segmentation faults.”
UsageUsed as a countable noun in technical contexts.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
a type of large hunting dog that stands still and points its nose toward birds or animals.
any of several breeds of hunting dogs that instinctively stand in a rigid pose when they scent game.
Simple“The hunter's pointer froze as soon as it smelled a bird in the tall grass.”
In context“The German Shorthaired Pointer is prized by sportsmen for its versatility in both pointing and retrieving game in various terrains.”
“Like in a compass, the activity of these neurons acts like a pointer, but in this case, the one that marks the fly’s intended destination.”
From point + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 4).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.