index card

American  

noun

1. a card, often relatively small, as 3 × 5 inches (7.6 × 12.7 centimeters), used in noting or recording information and usually filed in an index.

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Etymology

Origin of index card

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

When the NFL draft begins on Thursday night, Commissioner Roger Goodell will hardly need to glance at an index card to know that the Raiders intended to use the first overall pick on Mendoza.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

I wrote this on an index card and kept it in my backpack throughout college to constantly remind me of the goal because being an environmentalist can be discouraging, given the current climate.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 15, 2024

I keep a picture of that young boy now in my studio, one I cut out from a newspaper and mounted on an index card.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2023

I’m more focused when taking a moment to jot something down, whether it’s making a to-do list and outline in my notebook or creating an up-to-the-minute morning routine on an index card.

From The Verge • Aug. 3, 2022

He doesn’t even write a new index card with the question.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina