index case
[ in-deks keys ]
/ ˈɪn dɛks ˌkeɪs /
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noun Pathology.
the first documented instance of a disease or other medical condition in a population, especially the first infection in an epidemic.
(loosely) index patient.
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Origin of index case
First recorded in 1935–40
Words nearby index case
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for index case
index case
noun
med the first case of a disease, or the primary case referred to in a report
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medical definitions for index case
index case
n.
proband
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.