pointer

What it means

1. Anything that points or is used for pointing.
   1. One who points.

      One man pointed his finger at another, nearly poking the tip of it into the man’s chest. I sidled closer and heard the pointer accuse the other man of cheating.

      2020, J.M. Griffin, Who’s Dead, Doc?, Kensington Books, →ISBN

      3 more examples

      The talkers and pointers had undermined him. They had touched him with the acid of their suspicions, and the corrosion spread until he himself had lost sight of the truth.

      1972, Lynn Hall, Sticks and Stones

      The man he addressed drew back in horror, but answered the musketeer’s words by pointing his finger. Athos offered the man a half pistole to accompany him, but the man refused. Athos went down the street that the pointer had indicated to him with his finger; […]

      2006, Alexandre Dumas, translated by Richard Pevear, The Three Musketeers, Viking, →ISBN, pages 645–646

      “Hey,” the finger pointer said, re-pointing his finger at Joe, “are you a joke or what?” / “I don't think I'm a joke.” / “Well I think you're a joke.” He dropped his hand and then lifted it again and pointed his finger at Joe's chest.

      2010, Donald Junkins, Half Hitch, iUniverse, →ISBN

   2. A teacher's pointer, pointing stick, a rod with an arrow.

      Synonyms: fescue

   3. A needlelike component of a timepiece or measuring device that indicates the time or the current reading of the device.

      Synonyms: hand, needle, indicator

In a sentence

The talkers and pointers had undermined him. They had touched him with the acid of their suspicions, and the corrosion spread until he himself had lost sight of the truth.

1972, Lynn Hall, Sticks and Stones

Where it comes from

From point + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 4).