POINTER

[noun] [C]The performance of the car industry is a pointer to (= shows) the general economic health of the country.A pointer is something that is used for pointing at things, such as a long thin stick that you hold to direct attention to a map or words on a board, or a thin piece of metal that points to numbers on a measuring tool, or a small mark in the shape of an arrow that you can move on a computer screen.A pointer is also a helpful piece of advice or information.This booklet gives some useful pointers on what to expect when you arrive.A pointer is also a hunting dog that has been trained to stand very still with its nose pointing towards the animals and birds that are being hunted.