- pronunciation:
- In
deks
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| inflections: |
indexes, indices |
| definition: |
An index is something that helps you find information in a book. It is an alphabetical list of subjects and names along with page numbers where you can find each of these things in the book. If a book has an index, it is located at the back of the book.
If you look up "glacier" in the index, it will lead you to the different pages where they are mentioned in the textbook. |
| related words: |
catalogue, list |
Index was a Latin word that came from another Latin word,
indicare, which means "to point out" or "indicate." In Latin, "index" could mean "forefinger," "pointer," "list," or anything that points to something else. The index of a book points you to the places in the book you are interested in.