Definition of Index

1.That which points out; that which shows, indicates, manifests, or discloses; as, the increasing unemployment rate is an index of how much the economy has slowed.
Tastes are the indexes of the different qualities of plants.
- Arbuthnot.
2.(printing) That which guides, points out, informs, or directs; a pointer or a hand that directs to anything, as the hand of a watch, a movable finger or other form of pointer on a gauge, scale, or other graduated instrument.
3.A table for facilitating reference to topics, names, and the like, in a book, usually giving the page on which a particular word or topic may be found; - usually alphabetical in arrangement, and printed at the end of the volume. Typically found only in non-fiction books.
4.A prologue indicating what follows.
5.(Anat.) The second finger, that next to the pollex (thumb), in the manus, or hand; the forefinger; index finger.
6.(Math.) The figure or letter which shows the power or root of a quantity; the exponent.
7.The ratio, or formula expressing the ratio, of one dimension of a thing to another dimension; as, the vertical index of the cranium.
8.A number providing a measure of some quantity derived by a formula, usually a form of averaging, from multiple quantities; - used mostly in economics; as, the index of leading indicators; the index of industrial production; the consumer price index. See, for example, the consumer price index.
9.(computers) A file containing a table with the addresses of data items, arranged for rapid and convenient search for the addresses.
10.(computers) A number which serves as a label for a data item and also represents the address of a data item within a table or array.
11.(R. C. Ch.) The Index prohibitorius, a catalogue of books which are forbidden by the church to be read; also called Index of forbidden books and Index Librorum Prohibitorum.
Index error
the error in the reading of a mathematical instrument arising from the zero of the index not being in complete adjustment with that of the limb, or with its theoretically perfect position in the instrument; a correction to be applied to the instrument readings equal to the error of the zero adjustment.
Index expurgatorius
See Index prohibitorius (below).
Index finger
See Index, 5.
Index glass
the mirror on the index of a quadrant, sextant, etc.
Index hand
the pointer or hand of a clock, watch, or other registering machine; a hand that points to something.
Index of a logarithm
(Math.) the integral part of the logarithm, and always one less than the number of integral figures in the given number. It is also called the characteristic.
Index of refraction
(Opt.) the number which expresses the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction. Thus the index of refraction for sulphur is 2, because, when light passes out of air into sulphur, the sine of the angle of incidence is double the sine of the angle of refraction.
Index plate
a graduated circular plate, or one with circular rows of holes differently spaced; used in machines for graduating circles, cutting gear teeth, etc.
Index prohibitorius
Index rerum
a tabulated and alphabetized notebook, for systematic preservation of items, quotations, etc.
- Hook.
v. t.1.To provide with an index or table of references; to put into an index; as, to index a book, or its contents.
[imp. & p. p. Indexed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Indexing.]
2.(Economics) To adjust (wages, prices, taxes, etc.) automatically so as to compensate for changes in prices, usually as measured by the consumer price index or other economic measure. Its purpose is usually to copensate for inflation.
3.To insert (a word, name, file folder, etc.) into an index or into an indexed arrangement; as, to index a contract under its date of signing.

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Indeterminate analysis
Indeterminate coefficients
Indeterminate equation
Indeterminate inflorescence
Indeterminate problem
Indeterminate quantity
Indeterminate series
Index error
Index expurgatorius
Index finger
Index glass
Index hand
Index of a logarithm
Index of refraction
Index plate
Index prohibitorius
Index rerum
India ink
India matting
India paper
India proof

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