indicative

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈdɪkətɪv/ UK /ɪnˈdɪkətɪv/ See IPA manual

adj noun

Meanings

1

adj
serving as a sign or indication of something

A rise in temperature is indicative of an underlying infection.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · serving as a sign or... suggestive symptomatic characteristic expressive demonstrative representative

Word family

Derived forms indicatively

Related forms indicate indication indicant index

Etymology

From Late Latin indicativus, from indicatus, past participle of indicare ('to point out'), from in- ('toward') + dicare ('to proclaim'), related to dicere ('to say').

indicare Latin dicare Latin *deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# indicative

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈdɪkətɪv
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈdɪkətɪv

## Meanings
1. serving as a sign or indication of something

## Examples
- A rise in temperature is indicative of an underlying infection.

## Synonyms
- suggestive
- symptomatic
- characteristic
- expressive
- demonstrative
- representative

## Derived Forms
- indicatively

## Related Forms
- indicate
- indication
- indicant
- index

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: indicare
- Root: dicare
- Root: *deyḱ-

## Etymology
From Late Latin indicativus, from indicatus, past participle of indicare ('to point out'), from in- ('toward') + dicare ('to proclaim'), related to dicere ('to say').

## AI Etymology
Indicative comes from Late Latin indicativus, from indicatus, past participle of indicare ('to point out'), from in- ('toward') + dicare ('to proclaim'), related to dicere ('to say'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As an adjective and noun, it carries the sense "serving as a sign or indication of something", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin indicare, Latin dicare, and Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ-. Derivative forms include indicatively; related words include indicate, indication, indicant, index.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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