Mutató

Mutató is a Hungarian noun with multiple meanings. It most commonly means indicator, pointer, or sign that shows information or points to something. Etymologically it is derived from mutat “to show” with the -ó nominalizing suffix.

In daily language, mutató can refer to a finger that points (mutatóujj, index finger) or to the hands on a clock or gauge (óra mutatói) that indicate the time or measurement. It is also used for instruments or dashboards that display readings, for example a sebességmérő mutatói or a műszerfal mutatói.

In computing, mutató denotes a pointer, a value that stores the memory address of another value. In programming contexts, mutató is used to talk about pointer variables, pointer arithmetic, and references in languages that use explicit pointers (for example C, C++). The term covers raw addresses as well as higher‑level references in Hungarian technical writing.

In other technical and scientific contexts, mutató can be synonymous with indicator or index, though in specialized vocabulary “indikátor” is commonly preferred. For example, statistical plots may include mutatók as indicators on dashboards, while in geometry or linguistics the term is more likely to be replaced by more specific terms.

Mutató is also used as a surname or in product names, though these uses are less common.