# index

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɪndɛks/ · frequency rank #2,628

## Definitions
1. An alphabetical listing of items and their location.
2. The index finger; the forefinger.
3. A movable finger on a gauge, scale, etc.
4. A symbol resembling a pointing hand, used to direct particular attention to a note or paragraph.
5. That which points out; that which shows, indicates, manifests, or discloses.
6. A sign; an indication; a token.
7. A type of noun where the meaning of the form changes with respect to the context; e.g., 'Today's newspaper' is an indexical form since its referent will differ depending on the context. See also icon and symbol.
8. A single number calculated from an array of prices or of quantities.
9. A number representing a property or ratio; a coefficient.
10. A raised suffix indicating a power.
11. An integer or other key indicating the location of data, e.g. within an array, vector, database table, associative array, or hash table.
12. A data structure that improves the performance of operations on a table.
13. The number of cosets that exist.
14. A prologue indicating what follows.

## Etymology
From Latin index (“a discoverer, informer, spy; of things, an indicator, the forefinger, a title, superscription”), from indicō (“point out, show”); see indicate.

## Easily confused with
- **Indy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indy)
- **Indo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indo)
- **Indi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indi)
- **Inez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-inez)
- **India** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-india)
- **inner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-inner)
- **intel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-intel)
- **indie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indie)
- **inlet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-inlet)
- **infer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-infer)
- **Indus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indus)
- **inked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-inked)
- **inset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-inset)
- **Indra** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indra)
- **indio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indio)
- **Indies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indies)
- **indexes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/index-vs-indexes)
- **Ind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ind-vs-index)
- **ide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ide-vs-index)
- **idea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/idea-vs-index)

## Common misspellings (7)
`idnex`, `inddex`, `indexx`, `indxe`, `inedx`, `inndex`, `nidex`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/index