cursor

noun

cur·​sor ˈkər-sər How to pronounce cursor (audio)
-ˌsȯr
: a movable item used to mark a position: such as
a
: a transparent slide with a line attached to a slide rule
b
: a visual cue (such as a flashing vertical line) on a video display that indicates position (as for data entry)

Examples of cursor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But of course, Joy-Con mice feel most natural when used to simply point cursors. James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025 And in a reference to the escalating vandalism of Tesla vehicles and facilities in recent weeks, the cursor on the desktop version of the map is an image of a Molotov cocktail. David Ingram, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025 There are no function keys or cursor cluster, but those functions are all accessible in conjunction with the Fn key. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The site, which appears in the wake of anti-Elon Musk protests across the country, displays names, addresses, and phone numbers of Tesla owners on an interactive map and uses an image of a Molotov cocktail as its cursor. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cursor

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin cursor "runner, courier," from currere "to run" + -tor, agent suffix — more at current entry 1

Note: For cursor as agent noun of currere in place of expected *co(r)stor see note at course entry 1. As with other Latin deverbal derivatives, the zero grade ablaut of the past participle has been generalized with all suffixes ending in -t-.

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cursor was in 1594

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cursor. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

cursor

noun
cur·​sor ˈkər-sər How to pronounce cursor (audio)
: a mark (as a bright blinking spot) on a computer display screen that shows the place where the user is working

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