indicator

Noun

indicator (plural indicators)

1. A pointer or index that indicates something.
   • The visual indicators are a decided improvement, and have reduced the telephoning by the staff in the signalbox.1954 November, “Train Arrival Indicators at Euston”, in Railway Magazine, page 738
   • These old indicators [at Earl's Court station] show the destination of the next train by the appearance of an illuminated arrow next to the station name. The arrow may indicate that a train is going to Wimbledon, but it gives no clue as to when. Now, however, the indicators are supplemented by dot...2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 79
2. A meter or gauge.
3. The needle or dial on such a meter.
4. Any of many substances, such as litmus, used to indicate the concentration of a substance, or the degree of a reaction.
5. A plant or animal whose presence is indicative of some specific environment.
6. A measure, such as unemployment rate, which can be used to predict economic trends.
7. (Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, UK) A turn signal; each of the flashing lights on each side of a vehicle which indicate a turn is being made to left or right, or a lane change etc.

   Synonyms:

   blinker, directional, directional signal, direction indicator, trafficator, turn indicator, turn signal

8. A bird, the honeyguide.
9. (crosswording) A codeword that marks the use of a specific cryptic device.
   • 'Wild' is an anagram indicator showing that the letters of 'danger' have to be rearranged.2011 December 9, Collins, Crossword Secrets (Collins Little Book), HarperCollins UK, →ISBN, page 6
   • We surrounded the strike, Snowy (5)
     Snowy is the definition in this clue. Ignore the punctuation and capital letter of Snowy! Surrounded is the container indicator.2012 October 15, Denise Sutherland, Solving Cryptic Crosswords For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 46