cursor

B2 Topic:Technology & Computing

US /ˈkɜɹsəɹ/ UK /ˈkɜːsə/ See IPA manual

noun verb Freq #52475

Meanings

1

noun
A small moving mark or arrow on a computer screen that shows where you are typing or pointing.

Move the cursor to the start of the line and click.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a small moving mark or... pointercaret

Word family

Forms cursors

Derived forms cursorjackingcursorlesspostcursorprecursor

Related forms courier current cursive cursory recursive

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cursor (“runner”), from currō (“run”) + -or (agentive suffix). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European.

*ḱers- Proto-Indo-European cursor Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Technology & Computing

# cursor

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈkɜɹsəɹ
**IPA (UK):** ˈkɜːsə
**Frequency rank:** 52475

## Meanings
1. A small moving mark or arrow on a computer screen that shows where you are typing or pointing.

## Examples
- Move the cursor to the start of the line and click.

## Derived Forms
- cursorjacking
- cursorless
- postcursor
- precursor

## Related Forms
- courier
- current
- cursive
- cursory
- recursive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱers-
- Root: cursor

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin cursor (“runner”), from currō (“run”) + -or (agentive suffix). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European.

## AI Etymology
Cursor was borrowed from Latin cursor (“runner”), from currō (“run”) + -or, the agentive suffix, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers-. The historical chain includes Latin cursor and the older Indo-European root. The modern computing sense applies the idea of movement to a small mark or arrow that shows where typing or pointing is taking place. Later formations include cursorjacking, cursorless, and postcursor.

## Topics
- Technology & Computing

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