cursor

noun

cur·​sor ˈkər-sər 

-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

Hover near the edge or corner of a window, and the cursor will shift into two pointing arrows to indicate that the window can be resized. —ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025

Added the ability to move the mouse cursor to a different display while in Windowed Borderless mode. —Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025

Full-screen or tiled apps have rounded corners, even though the cursor and floating windows can go all the way into the square corners of a screen. —ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025

Image courtesy of the researchers View gallery - 5 images Researchers at Meta have developed a wristband that translates your hand gestures into commands to interact with a computer, including moving a cursor, and even transcribing your handwriting in the air into text. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 23 July 2025

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

Rhymes for cursor

• bursar
• mercer
• purser
• precursor

Kids Definition

cursor

noun

cur·​sor ˈkər-sər 

: a mark (as a bright blinking spot) on a computer display screen that shows the place where the user is working