index English · revision 4379

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1398|origins=la index}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɪn.deks/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|index|t=forefinger; informer, pointer, sign; list, catalogue]] (genitive indicis), literally “anything which points out”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from indicāre “to point out”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from in- “towards” and a second part related to dicāre “to proclaim, make known”,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[ine-pro|*deyḱ-|alt=*deik-|t=to show]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is related to [[indicate]] and [[diction]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The forefinger, used for pointing: 1398, in Trevisa's translation of Bartholomew,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) This sense is now obsolete in general use, and ''index finger'' is from 1768.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ An alphabetical list of the subjects of a book is from 1578 in the OED,^(OED 1989) 1580 in Barnhart, after Latin headings such as Index Nominum.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A pointer on an instrument, and the hand of a clock, are from 1594,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and a sign or indication of something from 1607.^(OED 1989) The Catholic ''Index'' of forbidden books, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, was first published in 1564 under Pius IV.^(Etymonline) In science a number indicating a property, as the refractive index, is from the 19th century,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and in economics a price index is from 1886 in Barnhart^(Barnhart 1988) and 1870 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) In mathematics, an exponent is from the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) The verb, to provide with an index, is from 1720,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and to adjust wages or prices by an index came later.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The plural is indexes, or indices in technical senses.^(Hoad 1986)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1398 – the forefinger.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1564 – the Index of forbidden books.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1578 – the index of a book.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1594 – a pointer.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1607 – a sign.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1720 – verb.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1768 – ''index finger''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1886 – a price index.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An alphabetical list of names and subjects in a book, with the pages where they appear.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A [[catalogue]], list or file.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A sign or indication: ''an index of progress''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A number that shows the level of prices, wages or other values compared with a base, as a [[stock]] index.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' An exponent or subscript.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A pointer, as on a dial.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The [[forefinger]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To provide with an index, or enter in one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To adjust (wages or benefits) in line with a price index.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[indexer]]

+ * [[indexable]]

+ * [[indexical]]

+ * [[indexically]]

+ * [[indexless]]

+ * [[reindex]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[indicate]]

+ * [[indicator]]

+ * [[indication]]

+ * [[indicia]]

+ * [[indexation]]

+ * [[indict]]

+ * [[diction]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}