noun, plural -dex⋅es, -di⋅ces [-duh-seez]
, verb | 1. | (in a nonfiction book, monograph, etc.) a more or less detailed alphabetical listing of names, places, and topics along with the numbers of the pages on which they are mentioned or discussed, usually included in or constituting the back matter. |
| 2. | a sequential arrangement of material, esp. in alphabetical or numerical order. |
| 3. | something used or serving to point out; a sign, token, or indication: a true index of his character. |
| 4. | something that directs attention to some fact, condition, etc.; a guiding principle. |
| 5. | a pointer or indicator in a scientific instrument. |
| 6. | a piece of wood, metal, or the like, serving as a pointer or indicator. |
| 7. | Computers.
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| 8. | Also called fist, hand. Printing. a sign in the shape of a hand with extended index finger, used to point out a particular note, paragraph, etc. |
| 9. | a light, smooth cardboard stock. |
| 10. | the forefinger. |
| 11. | a number or formula expressing some property, ratio, etc., of something indicated: index of growth; index of intelligence. |
| 12. | Statistics. index number. |
| 13. | Economics. price index. |
| 14. | Algebra.
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| 15. | Horology. a leverlike regulator for a hairspring. |
| 16. | (initial capital letter ) Roman Catholic Church.
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| 17. | (usually initial capital letter ) any list of forbidden or otherwise restricted material deemed morally or politically harmful by authorities: an Index of disapproved books relating to Communism. |
| 18. | Optics. index of refraction. |
| 19. | Obsolete.
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| 20. | to provide with an index, as a book. |
| 21. | to enter in an index, as a name or topic. |
| 22. | to serve to indicate: warm breezes indexing the approach of spring. |
| 23. | to place (a book) on an official list as politically or morally harmful: The commissar insisted on indexing the book. |
| 24. | to rotate (work) on a milling machine in order to repeat the milling operation at a new position. |
| 25. | Economics. to adjust (wages, taxes, etc.) automatically according to changes in the cost-of-living level or another economic indicator, esp. to offset inflation. |
| a quantity whose variation over a period of time measures the change in some phenomenon. |
| a number indicating the speed of light in a given medium as either the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to that in the given medium (absolute index of refraction) or the ratio of the speed of light in a specified medium to that in the given medium (relative index of refraction). Symbol: n |
| the number of times a closed curve winds around a point not on the curve. |
in·di·ces (ĭn'dĭ-sēz') n. A plural of index. |
An alphabetical list of subjects treated in a book. It usually appears at the end of the book and identifies page numbers on which information about each subject appears.
index
index in·dex (ĭn'děks')
n. pl. in·dex·es or in·di·ces (-dĭ-sēz')
A guide, standard, indicator, symbol, or number indicating the relation of one part or thing to another in respect to size, capacity, or function.
A core or mold used to record or maintain the relative position of a tooth or teeth to one another or to a cast.
A guide, usually made of plaster, used to reposition teeth, casts, or parts.
The index finger.
| index of refraction
A measure of the extent to which a substance slows down light waves passing through it. The index of refraction of a substance is equal to the ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to its speed in that substance. Its value determines the extent to which light is refracted when entering or leaving the substance. |
indices spelling
A plural of "index".