locator

locator — noun

1. a device that shows the position of a person, object, or place, often by using e

1.nounB2
Definition

a device that shows the position of a person, object, or place, often by using electronic signals or radio waves

Example

With a small locator attached to her keys, Nora can find them within seconds.

prepositional opener: with + locator + attached to

The rescue team deployed an underwater locator to find the wreckage of the plane.

compound noun: underwater locator

Common collocations
  • GPS locator
  • underwater locator
  • luggage locator
  • car locator
  • attach a locator
Synonyms
  • tracker

    more general term, often used for monitoring movement over time rather than a one-time search

  • beacon

    emits a signal for others to detect, rather than actively helping the user search

Grammar Patterns

a/the + locator + for + noun

[adjective] + locator

Usage Note

Often used in compound nouns describing the type of item being tracked, such as 'GPS locator', 'car locator', or 'luggage locator'.

Common Mistakes

The locator found my keys when I pressed the button.
I used the locator to find my keys when I pressed the button.
The locator is a tool a person uses; it does not act by itself.

2. a section of a company's website where you can type your location and see the ne

2.nounB1
Definition

a section of a company's website where you can type your location and see the nearest stores, banks, or other branches on a map

Example

Sirin used the store locator on the bank's website to find the nearest branch.

collocation: store locator

The restaurant's locator showed Ramón that the closest outlet was just two blocks away.

Common collocations
  • store locator
  • branch locator
  • restaurant locator
  • use the locator
  • click the locator
Synonyms
  • store finder

    slightly more informal; emphasises the search function rather than the display

  • branch locator

    used specifically for banks, post offices, and other service branches

Grammar Patterns

the + [noun] + locator

a/the + locator + on + [website]

Usage Note

Commonly appears with the name of the business type before it: 'store locator', 'branch locator', 'restaurant locator'. The feature is typically a search page, not a static list.

Common Mistakes

The store locator is broken, so I cannot see the map.' (when the page loads but shows wrong data).
The store locator shows an incorrect location for the nearest branch.
A locator is the search feature itself, not the map display.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

A 'store locator' and 'store finder' are largely interchangeable, though 'store finder' sounds slightly more informal and action-oriented — it suggests a search you perform, whereas 'locator' focuses on the display of results. 'Branch locator' is reserved for businesses with branches (banks, post offices, pharmacies) and carries a more professional tone. 'Store directory' is different: it refers to a static list or map of all stores (e.g. in a shopping mall), not an interactive search tool. For example, you would say 'Use our store locator to find the nearest outlet' if you expect the user to type their postcode, but 'Check the mall directory for store listings' if referring to a fixed board.

store locatorstore finderbranch locatorstore directory

Common collocations

Nouns

  • GPS locator
  • car locator
  • luggage locator
  • store locator
  • branch locator
  • underwater locator

Phrases

  • use a locator
  • install a locator
  • click the locator
  • attach a locator

Prepositions

  • locator on [website/device]
  • locator for [purpose/item]

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'locator' comes from the verb 'locate', which originates from Latin 'locare' meaning 'to place' or 'to put', plus the suffix '-or' (indicating a person or thing that performs an action). It entered English in the mid-1800s, originally referring to a person who surveyed land boundaries, and later broadened to mean any device that finds a position.