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Kevin
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March 20, 2023
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Common Questions
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When you hear someone say “indices, the word index may come to mind. While it is true that the term indices is an acceptable plural form of “index,” it can be defined in a few other ways.
Interested in learning more? We thought so! Read on to discover all there is to know about our word of the day: indices (/ˈɪn dəˌsiz/ /ˈɪndəˌsiz/).
What Is the Definition of Indices?
If you ask us, one of the best ways to truly understand the meaning behind a new term is to review multiple definitions as opposed to one. With this in mind, here are a few definitions provided by three trusted dictionaries below:
- According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the noun indices is the plural form of index, which is a list of names, subjects, or topics that are usually arranged in alphabetical order or listed in a separate file.
- The Britannica Dictionary says indices can be defined as a number that indicates changes in the level of something — such as a stock market — when it falls or rises.
- Lexico says indices is a technical term that fits more in statistical and formal contexts.
After reviewing the definitions listed above, we can conclude that our word of the day is most commonly used as a technical version of the plural noun index. That said, what exactly does the word index mean?
To put it simply, an index is something that serves to point out, guide, or otherwise facilitate reference.
What Does Index Mean in Finance?
Generally speaking, an index is an indicator or measurement of something. In the finance world, an index tracks the performance of a group of assets or a basket of securities and their stock prices.
Often used by investors as a benchmark to gauge the performance of any one stock, mutual fund, or bond against overall market performance, indexes are also created to measure other financial or economic data, such as inflation, interest rates, or manufacturing output.
What Are The Most Common Types of Indexes?
The three most common types of indexes used in finance include:
- Global Indexes — tracks equities from all over the globe
- Regional Indexes — tracks equities from specific regions around the world
- National Indexes — provides exposure to individual countries
What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Indices?
Now that you understand the definition behind indices, let’s take a look at some synonyms and antonyms.
Synonyms are words with the same — or nearly the same — meaning. With this in mind, the synonyms of indices are as follows:
- Indexes
- Indicator
- Ratio
- Safety margin
- Basis
- Clue
- Evidence
- Graduated table
- Formula
- Guide
- List
- Register
- Key
- Listing
- Note
- Cross-index
- Ordered series
- Margin of error
- Scale of measurement
In contrast, an antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning to another word. Antonyms of indices include:
- Nonpartisan
- Intense
- Moderation
- Indispose
- Dispose
- Dissuade
- Angularity
- Roundness
How Can You Use Indices in a Sentence?
By now, you should have a pretty good understanding of the meaning behind our word of the day, but do you know how to use it in a sentence?
Don’t worry — we put together a few example sentences for you to check out below:
“Be extra careful of trading volatile indices!”
“Did you know that the word indices is plural of index?”
“Some applications of the proposed indices will be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting.”
“Performance indices will be identified in the study cases.”
“The clinical indices were made within one week of having the bowel scan.”
“Unlike many other indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is not a weighted index, which simply means it doesn’t take market capitalization into account.”
“Did you know that there are indices for just about every conceivable sector of the stock market?”
Related Words You Should Know
To further your understanding of the word indices, we suggest researching the related terms listed below:
- Exponent
- Cost-of-living
- Refractive index
- Stock market index
- Index number
- Index finger
- Consumer price index
- Share prices
- Subscript numbers
What Are Translations of Indices?
Indices is a word that has been around for quite some time, so it makes perfect sense that there is more than one way to say it! Some of the most common translations of our word of the day include:
Translations of indices provided by the Collins English Dictionary:
- Afrikaans — Leidrade
- Arabic — القرائن
- Bulgarian — Улики
- Chinese (simplified) — 蛛丝马迹
- Croatian — Tragove
- Czech — Vodítka
- Danish — Spor
- Dutch — Aanwijzingen
- Finnish — Vihjeitä
- French — indices
- German — Anhaltspunkte
- Greek — Ενδείξεις
- Italian — Indizi
- Japanese — 手がかり
- Korean — 단서
- Norwegian — Ledetråder
- Polish — Wskazówki
- Portuguese — Pistas
- Russian — Ключи
- Spanish — Pistas
- Swedish — Ledtrådar
- Thai — ปม
- Turkish — Ipuç -ları
- Ukrainian — Ключі
- Vietnamese — Mối
A Final Word
In short, the word indices is the irregular form of the term “index.” Irregular plurals are formed based on the language rule where they originate. For instance, our word of the day has Latin roots.
While the word “indexes” is usually more suitable for casual writing, the technical use of “indices” fits more in statistical contexts.
We hope this article has provided you with a clear understanding of the word indices. If you’d like to learn the meaning behind more complex terms, check out our website where you’ll find a number of informative blogs, tons of useful tips, and great grammar tools to help improve your writing.
Sources:
Indices definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
