- the sliding part of a measuring instrument, esp a transparent sliding square on a slide rule
- any of various means, typically a flashing bar or underline, of identifying a particular position on a computer screen, such as the insertion point for text
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cur•sor /ˈkɜrsɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Computinga movable, usually blinking, symbol on a computer screen, used to indicate where data such as text or commands may be typed.
- a sliding object, as the lined glass on a slide rule, that can be set at any point on a scale.
cur•sor
(kûr′sər),USA pronunciation n.
- Computinga movable, sometimes blinking, symbol that indicates the position on a CRT or other type of display where the next character entered from the keyboard will appear, or where user action is needed, as in the correction of an erroneous character already displayed.
- a sliding object, as the lined glass on a slide rule, that can be set at any point on a scale.
- Latin: a runner, racer, courier, equivalent. to cur(rere) to run + -sor, for -tor -tor; compare course
- Middle English: courier (def. 2 from late 16th century) 1250–1300
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
cursor /ˈkɜːsə/ n
'cursor' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
backspace
- graphical user interface
- icon
- menu
- mouse
- tooltip
- back staff
- carriage return
- joystick
- precursor
- tab
- space bar
- submarining