card index

American  

noun

card indexes plural

1. a file or catalog consisting of cards on which information has been entered so that desired items or data can be readily found.

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card index British  

noun

1. an index in which each item is separately listed on systematically arranged cards

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verb

1. (tr) to make such an index of (a book)

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• card indexes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of card index

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

card index

The letters poured in and Baxter set up a complicated card index system so children would get personal replies rather than a formatted letter.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2025

In the beginning, I would head for the children’s library, in the back, open the card index, which listed books by subject, and explore ghosts or magic, time travel or space.

From New York Times ● Oct. 15, 2018

His secret was a fantastic card index system of his own, going back to the 1930s, stored in shoe boxes.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2014

Senior officials said some assets were on databases, but others were held on a separate card index, or even on handwritten inventories held only in specific historic properties.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 9, 2010

Von Herman, frowning, opened a table drawer, pulled out a card index, ran his long fingers through it and extracted a card.

From Personality Plus Some Experiences of Emma McChesney and Her Son, Jock by Ferber, Edna