Definition
An instrument display style that uses two or more pointers on a single dial face to indicate a value, with each pointer representing a different scale or place value. The classic example is the three-pointer altimeter, where one pointer shows hundreds of feet, another shows thousands, and a third shows tens of thousands.
Plain English
A gauge with more than one needle on the same dial, where each needle tells you part of the reading.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of older-style altimeters and how to read altitude from the instrument face.
Derivation
From 'multi-' (Latin multus, meaning 'many') and 'pointer' (the needle that points to a value on a dial). Together it simply means 'many pointers' — a dial with more than one needle, each doing a different job.
Why Pilots Care
Multipointer instruments are easy to misread, especially under stress. On a three-pointer altimeter, mistaking the thousands pointer for the hundreds pointer can produce a 1,000-foot altitude error — a serious risk in IFR or near terrain.
Analogy
Like a clock face: the hour, minute, and second hands all share one dial, and each tells you a different part of the time. You read them together to know the full answer.
Intuition Check
Multipointer does not mean several separate instruments. It means several pointers on one instrument face working together to show one value.
Example Sentence 1
The student misread the multipointer altimeter and called out 9,500 feet when the aircraft was actually at 10,500 feet.
Example Sentence 2
Older aircraft often used multipointer instruments to save panel space while showing related engine readings.