index fund

American  

noun

1. a fund, as a mutual fund or pension fund, with a portfolio that contains many of the securities listed in a major stock index in order to match the performance of the stock market generally.

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Etymology

Origin of index fund

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

The index fund—which pitches itself as “a straightforward, low-cost fund offering” suitable for the core holding in a diversified portfolio—has delivered a total return of more than 16% in 2026.

From Barron's

That means lower yields and less diversification away from core holdings like an S&P 500 index fund.

From Barron's

He says trusts should own assets that don’t produce much current income but have higher growth potential, such as index funds.

From Barron's

In theory, you would have come out ahead in the alternative index fund, but in practice you would have finished behind.

From The Wall Street Journal

“We’ve reached a resolution to put this matter behind us—a resolution that reaffirms our longstanding practices and standards and the passive nature of our index funds,” a Vanguard spokesman said in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal