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# index

noun (an index, indexes or indices); verb (index, indexes, indexed, indexing)

«index» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An index is an alphabetical list at the back of a book that shows on which pages each topic can be found. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#m1)
2. An index finger is the finger next to the thumb, used for pointing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#m2)
3. In maths an index (plural indices) is the small raised number that shows a power, like the 2 in 5². [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#m3)
4. An index is also a number that shows how something changes, such as a price index. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#m4)
5. To index something means to make an index for it or list it in order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#m5)

### In the lessons

In school pupils use the index of a non-fiction book to find information fast; it is a key research skill together with the contents page and the glossary. In maths «index» or «indices» is the UK word for powers (exponents): 2³ means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. Phrases: «look it up in the index», «index finger», «laws of indices», «index card».

### Examples

- Look in the index to find the page about volcanoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x1)
- The index is at the back; the contents page is at the front. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x2)
- Point with your index finger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x3)
- In 3⁴, the index is 4, so it means 3 × 3 × 3 × 3. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x4)
- We learned the laws of indices in maths. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x5)
- The teacher wrote the questions on index cards. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x6)
- The library computer indexes every book by title and author. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x7)
- The words in an index are in alphabetical order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x8)
- Page 384--page reference 194 amended to 201 in index entry for "Mythology, &c. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/#x9)

### Note

Plurals: «indexes» for book lists, «indices» often in maths and science. In the USA «exponent» is more common than «index» for powers. Trap: the contents page lists chapters in page order; the index lists topics in alphabetical order. In maths problems, the index tells how many times to multiply the base by itself, not to multiply by the index (3² = 9, not 6).

## In Jewish tradition

In school pupils use the index of a non-fiction book to find information fast; it is a key research skill together with the contents page and the glossary. In maths «index» or «indices» is the UK word for powers (exponents): 2³ means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. Phrases: «look it up in the index», «index finger», «laws of indices», «index card».

### Examples

- Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah (/Preface, /Introduction, /SepherYetzirah), fetched via index.php?action=render on 2026-10-17. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/index/#x1)
- PARTIAL: English Wikisource transcription (proofread from Index:Sepher Yetzirah.djvu) — only Preface to the Second Edition, Introduction, and the text (chapters I-VI). (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/index/#x2)
- Contains Kalisch's pointed Hebrew text (his base text), English translation, preface, notes, glossary. (sacred-texts site errata page not included; Hare's attribution notice kept as in etext.) Source: Internet Sacred Text Archive, https://archive.sacred-texts.com/jud/sy/index.htm (etext by J. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/index/#x3)

### Note

Plurals: «indexes» for book lists, «indices» often in maths and science. In the USA «exponent» is more common than «index» for powers. Trap: the contents page lists chapters in page order; the index lists topics in alphabetical order. In maths problems, the index tells how many times to multiply the base by itself, not to multiply by the index (3² = 9, not 6).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «index» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/index/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«index» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/index.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «index» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/index/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«index» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/index.html) on Mova free.