cursor

noun cur·sor \ ˈkər-sər , -ˌsȯr \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of cursor

: 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)

See cursor defined for English-language learners

See cursor defined for kids

Recent Examples of cursor from the Web

Using a special mouse strapped to his forehead that detects his smallest movement, Desikan moves a cursor around an on-screen keyboard.

— laurie mcginley, Washington Post, "Devastated by ALS, trying to save others," 13 June 2018
Other cars with touchpads use them in the conventional way, to control a cursor on the screen.

— alex davies, WIRED, "Acura Has Finally Made an Easy-to-Use Infotainment System," 14 May 2018
Every so often a news article appears that shows a disabled person directing movement of a computer cursor or a prosthetic hand with thought alone.

— r. douglas fields, Scientific American, "Wristband Lets the Brain Control a Computer with a Thought and a Twitch," 27 Mar. 2018
Their subjects were asked to move a cursor to a dot on a computer screen as quickly as possible.

— steve ayan, Scientific American, "10 Things You Don’t Know About Yourself," 15 May 2018
Open these up and you’ll be banished to the mid-2000s, moving a clunky mouse cursor up and down with an old school direction pad.

— michael zelenko, The Verge, "There’s no perfect minimalist phone — yet," 3 May 2018
The program also allowed him to move a cursor around the entire computer giving Hawking access to email, a word processor an even video chatting, said Hawking’s website.

— nina godlewski, Newsweek, "How Did Stephen Hawking's Speech and Communication Tools Work?," 14 Mar. 2018
Now, place your cursor in any text field, either directly within Windows 10 or in an app, like Microsoft Word, for example, and Press the Windows key + H and start speaking into your computer’s microphone.

— marc saltzman, USA TODAY, "Use Windows 10? Update it, then try these 5 tips to boost your productivity," 27 Apr. 2018
From Microsoft: With your cursor in any text field either in Windows 10 or in an app, simply press Win + H and start talking.

— jonathan vanian, Fortune, "4 Interesting New Features From Microsoft's Latest Windows 10 Update," 10 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cursor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cursor

Latin, runner, from currere

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1594

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

CURSOR Defined for English Language Learners

cursor

noun

Definition of cursor for English Language Learners

: a mark on a computer screen that shows the place where information is being entered or read

CURSOR Defined for Kids

cursor

noun cur·sor \ ˈkər-sər , -ˌsȯr \

Definition of cursor for Students

: a symbol (as an arrow or blinking line) on a computer screen that shows where the user is working

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See words that rhyme with cursor Spanish Central: Translation of cursor Nglish: Translation of cursor for Spanish speakers

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cursor

Definition of cursor

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Origin and Etymology of cursor

CURSOR Defined for English Language Learners

cursor

Definition of cursor for English Language Learners

CURSOR Defined for Kids

cursor

Definition of cursor for Students

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