Designator: meaning, definitions and examples

Typically used in formal or technical settings to denote a person or thing that assigns roles, duties, or purposes. Common in military or specialized fields.

• The designator allocated specific tasks to each team member.
• In naval terms, a designator is used to classify the specialties of officers.

Generally used in informal and various professional contexts to denote a sign, symbol, or object that shows the position or presence of something.

• The hiker used a marker to indicate the trail path.
• Biological markers are used to detect certain diseases.

Common in both everyday language and specialized contexts like finance and science to show or signal the state or level of something.

• The dashboard's fuel indicator shows how much gasoline is left in the tank.
• Economic indicators are often used to predict market trends.

Used broadly in various fields like computing, biology, and administration to label or recognize distinct entities or categories.

• Each product comes with a unique identifier code for inventory purposes.
• In programming, an identifier is a name given to a variable or function.

Typically used in a military or aerospace context to refer to a device or system that designates targets for engagement. It's a technical term and often implies precision and advanced technology.

• The drone used a laser designator to mark the enemy vehicle.
• The pilot activated the designator to lock onto the target.

Used in military or tactical contexts to describe a device or tool that indicates or marks a target. It signifies clarity and purpose in marking targets for identification or engagement.

• The special forces used a target marker to identify the enemy's position for the airstrike.
• The target marker emitted a bright signal visible to the assault team.

Commonly used in everyday situations such as presentations or for pointing out specific objects. It can also be used recreationally, such as playing with pets. It has a less serious tone compared to other terms.

• During the meeting, he used a laser pointer to highlight key points on the slide.
• The cat chased the laser pointer all around the room.

Often used in situations that require visual confirmation or assistance, such as in sports like weightlifting or activities like bird watching. It can have both casual and professional uses.

• The weightlifter always has a spotter to ensure safety during heavy lifts.
• The birdwatching group designated a spotter to help identify the species.

Used in technical and specialized settings to refer to an item or entity that names or identifies something within a specific system.

• In the shipping industry, a special designator is used to track cargo containers.
• Each aircraft has a unique designator for air traffic control.

General term used across various contexts to describe a tag or descriptor that provides information about an item.

• The food packaging had a label indicating its nutritional content.
• Folders are often organized with labels to identify their contents.

Common in computing and telecommunications to denote a system of symbols, numbers, or signals used to represent information.

• Every country has a specific dialing code.
• Programmers write code to create software applications.

Typically used in databases, programming, and systematic documentation to single out individual items or records.

• In a database, each record has a unique identifier known as a primary key.
• User accounts are often accessed through a unique identifier.