WordGarden.iolocator
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ləʊkˈeɪtə/
US
- /ˈloʊˌkeɪtər/
Meanings
Noun
a device, app, or system used to find or track where someone or something is
a person or thing that locates something
a selector or pattern used in software to identify a webpage element or other resource
More meaningsFewer meanings
a pin, jig, or other part that positions something accurately in a machine or tool
Beyond the definition
A locator helps you find where something is or helps point you to it. It may show a place, mark a position, or lead you to the right item. Think of a GPS locator helping you follow your position on a trip, or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) telling your browser where a webpage is. A store locator on a website helps you find the nearest branch, and a utility locator helps workers find underground pipes and cables before digging.
The word is often used for tools, systems, or people that help with finding. Sometimes it is a device, sometimes a feature in software, and sometimes a job title. In each case, the idea is the same: it helps turn an unknown place into a known one.
The word "locator" refers to something that helps find a place, object, or position. It usually names a tool, feature, system, or person that makes searching easier by showing where something is.
You will often see this word in technology and everyday services. A GPS locator can help show your position while you travel. On the internet, a URL, which stands for Uniform Resource Locator, gives the address of a webpage or other online resource. Many business websites also offer a store locator, which helps customers find the nearest branch or office. In these examples, the word is linked to clear, practical ways of finding something.
"Locator" can also describe a professional role. In construction and public works, a utility locator finds and marks underground lines such as water pipes, gas lines, or cables so that work can be done safely. In this sense, the word does not just mean a device; it can also mean a person whose job is to identify the correct location of something hidden from view.
More broadly, the term is used for anything that helps connect a person with the right place or target. Whether it appears in a map app, on a company website, or in the title of a skilled worker, a locator is something that helps answer a simple question: where is it?
Examples
- 1
Store search
Use the store locator on our website to find the nearest pharmacy.
- 2
Luggage tracking
The suitcase has a small Bluetooth locator, so I can track it from my phone.
- 3
Police search
Police used a phone locator to narrow the search to one neighborhood.
- 4
Rescue device
Rescuers picked up a signal from the climber's emergency locator beacon.
- Phraseemergency locator beacon
a small device that sends a rescue signal
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Web addresses
A URL is short for Uniform Resource Locator, the full technical name for a web address.
- PhraseUniform Resource Locator
the full name for URL
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- locatornoun