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.
In the space between every slide, darkness flicks like a cursor. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 The device combines a pressure-sensitive trackpad positioned against the roof of the mouth with head-motion sensing, which means the cursor can be controlled with either the head or the tongue. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2026 Once activated, Gemini will be able to access your screen and perform tasks on your open windows based on verbal and cursor cues. — Bee Wertheimer, PC Magazine, 29 July 2026 In the post's instructions, which Gibson showed in a July 20 TikTok video, the instructor hid a line of white text that could only be seen if highlighted by a cursor. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 29 July 2026 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

Rhymes for cursor

See All Rhymes for cursor

Browse Nearby Words

cursiveness
cursor
cursorary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cursor. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on cursor

Nglish: Translation of cursor for Spanish Speakers

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