cursor

Where does the word "cursor" come from? It comes from Latin currere, passing through Latin before entering English (1600s).

Cursor’s story begins in Latin: currere meant “to run.” The root of 'course', 'current' and 'courier'. Within Latin, it grew into cursor by ancient. A runner, a messenger, from currere. It reached English by 1600s as cursor. Settled as the English word for a sliding pointer, later the on-screen marker on a computer. Today, cursor means a movable indicator on a computer screen showing where text or a click will appear.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient currere "to run", the root of 'course', 'current' and 'courier'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient cursor "a runner, a messenger", a runner, a messenger, from currere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s cursor "a sliding pointer, later a computer screen marker", settled as the English word for a sliding pointer, later the on-screen marker on a computer.