indicator

C1 Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /ˈɪndəˌkeɪtɝ/ UK /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #20350

Meanings

1

noun
A sign or measurement that shows what a situation is like.

Unemployment is an important indicator of economic health.
2

noun
A device, dial, or light that shows the condition of a system.

A red indicator on the dashboard warns you when fuel is low.
3

noun
A substance that changes color to show the presence of a chemical.

The indicator turned pink, showing the solution was alkaline.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a sign or measurement that... index indicant

Word family

Forms indicators

Derived forms anagrindbioindicatorcontraindicatorpaleoindicatorphytoindicatorsubindicator

Related forms index indicate indication indicative

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

leading indicator
a measure whose changes tend to precede a broader economic trend

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate.

*deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European indicātor la-lat indicō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# indicator

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪndəˌkeɪtɝ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 20350

## Meanings
1. A sign or measurement that shows what a situation is like.
2. A device, dial, or light that shows the condition of a system.
3. A substance that changes color to show the presence of a chemical.

## Examples
- Unemployment is an important indicator of economic health.
- A red indicator on the dashboard warns you when fuel is low.
- The indicator turned pink, showing the solution was alkaline.

## Derived Forms
- anagrind
- bioindicator
- contraindicator
- paleoindicator
- phytoindicator
- subindicator

## Related Forms
- index
- indicate
- indication
- indicative

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *deyḱ-
- Root: indicātor
- Root: indicō

## Etymology
From Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate.

## AI Etymology
Indicator comes from Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate. The historical chain includes *deyḱ- (Proto-Indo-European), indicātor (Late Latin), and indicō (Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as anagrind, bioindicator, contraindicator, and paleoindicator and related forms such as index, indicate, and indication. In present use it covers a sign or measurement that shows what a situation is like, a device, dial, or light that shows the condition of a system, and a substance that changes color to show the presence of a chemical.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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