French word

index

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃dɛks/

Meaning

  • masculine nounindex finger

Example

Mon index me fait mal.

My index finger hurts.

Illustration for index (index finger)

More examples

Je me suis cassé l'index en tombant.

I broke my index finger when I fell.

Core concept

A pointed human finger serving as a pointer toward an object or through a list.

Common phrases

  • mon index

    my index finger

  • se casser l'index

    break one's index finger

Similar words

doigt: Any of the five digits on a hand.
pouce: The short, thick finger used mainly for pinching and pressing.

Definition in French

Doigt placé entre le pouce et le majeur, servant notamment à indiquer ; mot employé aussi pour désigner une entrée alphabétique ou un repère dans une liste.

Word origin

French index comes from Latin index, indicis, meaning a pointer or indicator, and the idea of indicating extends naturally to a finger and a list of references.

Usage tips

  • Index is masculine, so the body part is un index and l'index after a vowel sound.

Other meanings

  • indexnoun
  • indicatornoun

Word lists with this word