trafficator

traffic +‎ -ator

trafficator (plural trafficators)

1. (Nigeria, automotive) A blinking light on a motor vehicle that indicates the direction in which it is about to turn.

   Synonyms: (informal) blinker, directional, directional signal, direction indicator, (Britain, Australia, New Zealand) indicator, turn indicator, (chiefly US) turn signal

   • 2014, Chris Ekpekurede, Laughing Over Serious Matters: Stories to Make You Laugh and Reflect:

     There were vehicles following me, of course, but was any of them trailing me? […] Without any warning, and without signalling with the trafficator, I took a sudden right turn, hoping to shake off my trailer.

2. (historical) A semaphore device with a steady light that served the same purpose on early vehicles.