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nounnoun

der Zeiger, –

hand

Ein Teil an einer Uhr oder einem Messgerät, der auf eine Zahl oder Richtung zeigt.

Definition & meaning

Zeiger is a masculine German noun: der Zeiger, plural die Zeiger.

It has several related meanings:

  1. A hand or pointer on a clock or watch
    It indicates the hour, minute, or second.

    • der Stundenzeiger [ ] — hour hand
    • der Minutenzeiger [ ] — minute hand
    • der Sekundenzeiger [ ] — second hand

  2. A pointer or needle on a measuring instrument
    It moves across a scale to show a value, such as temperature, pressure, or speed.

    • Der Zeiger steht auf fünf. — The pointer is at five.

  3. A pointer in computing
    In programming, der Zeiger can mean a pointer: a variable that stores the memory address of another object or value.

  4. An indicator or sign
    In compounds such as die Zeigerpflanze [ ], it refers to something that indicates particular environmental conditions.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Gender: masculine
  • Singular: der Zeiger [ ]
  • Plural: die Zeiger [ ]

The word is derived from zeigen [ ] (“to show” or “to point”) with the agent suffix -er. Its literal sense is therefore “something that shows or points.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • der Uhrzeiger [ ] — specifically a clock or watch hand; more precise than Zeiger.
  • die Hand [ ] — commonly used for a clock hand, especially in everyday language. It does not usually mean a pointer on a measuring instrument.
  • die Nadel [ ] — needle; often used for the thin moving part of a gauge, emphasizing its shape.
  • der Anzeiger [ ] — indicator or display device; it can refer to the entire indicating mechanism, whereas Zeiger usually refers specifically to the moving pointer.

Antonyms

There is no direct general antonym for Zeiger. Depending on the context, a fixed reference mark such as die Marke [ ] or der Festpunkt [ ] can be contrasted with a moving pointer.

Common phrases & collocations

  • der Zeiger der Uhr [ ] [ ] — the hand of the clock
  • die Zeigerstellung [ ] — the position of a pointer or clock hand
  • Die Zeiger stehen auf zwölf. — The hands are pointing to twelve.
  • Der Zeiger schlägt aus. — The pointer swings or moves away from its resting position.
  • Der Zeiger zeigt auf null. — The pointer points to zero.
  • im Uhrzeigersinn [ ] — clockwise
  • gegen den Uhrzeigersinn [ ] — counterclockwise

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Examples

Der Zeiger zeigt auf die zwölf.noun

The hand points to twelve.

Die goldenen Zeiger dieser Uhr sind antik.noun

The golden hands of this watch are antique.

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