2 syllables: in, dex. Stress on in.
IN-deks
/ˈɪndɛks/
index is pronounced IN-deks (/ˈɪndɛks/). It has two syllables (in-dex), with the stress on "in". Index refers to a sign or indicator pointing to something, or a list used for quick reference. In reference to data, it’s a measured value that represents a larger set. The term spans fields from computing (search index) to publishing (index of topics), and functions as a concise navigational or metrics tool in scholarly, technical, and everyday language.
Index refers to a sign or indicator pointing to something, or a list used for quick reference. In reference to data, it’s a measured value that represents a larger set. The term spans fields from computing (search index) to publishing (index of topics), and functions as a concise navigational or metrics tool in scholarly, technical, and everyday language.
"- The index on the dashboard shows daily performance trends."
"- In the book, the index helps you locate topics quickly."
"- Her index finger tapped the screen to refresh the page."
Pronounce as ˈɪn.dɛks (US/UK). The first syllable has a stressed short “i” as in ‘pin,’ second syllable is unstressed with a short ‘e’ as in ‘get’ ending in a clear final ks cluster. Mouth position: begin with the tongue high-mid at the front for /ɪ/, then close to mid for /d/, finish with /ɛ/ plus /ks/. If you’re teaching others, point out the two-syllable rhythm and the /d/ is lightly aspirated in many rapid speech instances. Listen to native samples to hear the crisp /ks/ ending.
Common errors: 1) Over-adding vowel between /n/ and /d/ making it /ɪnɪdɛks/; keep the sequence tight as /n.d/ to avoid syllabic separation. 2) Slurring the /d/ into /ɪ/ leading to /ˈɪndɛks/ with a light touch on /d/. 3) Misplacing stress in fast speech, saying /ˈɪndɛks/ with even stress; maintain primary stress on the first syllable /ˈɪn/. Corrections: practice with minimal pairs and locked-tongue drills: /ˈɪn.dɛks/ with a quick, non-explosive /d/ release; keep /n/ and /d/ adjacent without inserting extra vowels.
US and UK generally share /ˈɪn.dɛks/, with rhotic variation minimal in most contexts; US speakers produce a clearer /ɪ/ and a crisp /d/ release, UK tends to slightly shorter vowels and more clipped /ɪ/; Australian speakers often show a softer /d/ and a slightly broader /ɛ/ with a flattened intonation. Vowel quality differences can shade the middle vowel toward /eɪ/ in certain dialects when said slowly, but in standard usage most speakers maintain /ɛn.dɛks/ with stable /ɪ/ + /d/ + /ɛ/ sequence. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable across dialects.
Because of the consonant cluster /nd/ linking into /d/ release before /ɛ/; rapid speech can blur /n/ and /d/ into a single nasal-lateral blend in some contexts, and the final /ks/ cluster can challenge speakers not used to final consonant clusters. The middle-vowel /ɛ/ is short and may be reduced in connected speech, changing perception of word length. Additionally, native phonotactics influence whether speakers insert a vowel between /n/ and /d/. Focus on keeping /n/ and /d/ tightly connected and producing a clean /ks/ release.
A word-specific question: Does ‘index’ ever reduce to single-syllable in rapid technical speech? In careful speech, no; in very fast or clipped contexts, some speakers may approximate as /ˈɪndɛks/ with reduced duration for second syllable, but it is not standard. The primary two-syllable form remains the accepted norm in general use, with the first syllable stressed. Always ensure the full two-syllable pattern in formal or published contexts.
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US: clear vowel quality with longer /ɪ/ in initial syllable; rhoticity not a factor here. UK: possibly slightly crisper /ɪ/ and a more clipped /d/; AU: often softer vowel and a more relaxed jaw; all share two-syllable rhythm. Reference IPA: US /ˈɪn.dɛks/, UK /ˈɪn.dɛks/, AU /ˈɪn.dɛks/. Accent differences show in vowel length and the degree of reduction in connected speech. In fast speech, you may hear /ɪnˈdɛks/ with reduced first syllable, but standard forms stay two-syllable. Practice elevating attention to place, manner, and voicing of /d/.
Index comes from Middle English endex, which itself derives from Latin index, meaning ‘one who points out, a informer, indicator,’ from verb indicēre ‘to point out, show, reveal.’ The Latin root indic-, from indicāre ‘to indicate, point out’ combines ‘in-’ (toward) with ‘dīcere’ (to say, declare). The word traveled into Old French as indice and Early Modern English as endex or index, carrying both the sense of a listing item (an entry in a catalog) and a pointer or sign in mathematics and logic. In medieval manuscripts, an index both marked topics and served as an interpretive guide. Over time, English usage narrowed to include two core senses: a navigational list (index in a book) and a statistical or data measure (stock index, index value). The term remains polysemous, ranging from concrete book aids to abstract mathematical constructs, but its underlying idea—pointing to information or a measured benchmark—has stayed constant since its earliest attestations. First known use in English dates to the 14th century, reflecting the Latin scholarly tradition of indexing as a structured pointer to knowledge.
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Words that rhyme with "index"
-nks sounds
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