A locator is a device, system, or person that helps find the position of something or someone. When a hiker gets lost in the woods, rescuers might use a GPS locator to pinpoint exactly where they are. Store locators on websites help you find the nearest branch. Some families attach Bluetooth locators to their keys or backpacks so they can track them down when they go missing.

A locator's whole job is determining location. In libraries, shelf locators tell you exactly where to find a book. In hospitals, patient locators help visitors find which room someone is in. Metal detectors are a type of locator that finds metal objects underground.

Sometimes people work as locators: talent locators find promising actors or athletes, while location scouts (also called location managers) find the perfect places to film movies. During California's Gold Rush, mining locators helped prospectors find and legally claim land where they could search for gold.

The ability to locate things quickly matters tremendously in modern life. Emergency locators help find people in danger. Package locators track your deliveries. Even your smartphone acts as a locator when it shows you where you are on a map.