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

For most investors the investment implication is to buy and hold a broad-market index fund, which over time reliably beats 90% of managers vying to outperform a benchmark index.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026

Eventually, lockups expire, and float increases, along with index fund exposure.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

Accordingly, there has been a big push on the Street to stuff them into the leading stock indices, leaving index fund managers no choice but to buy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

If your goal in owning a large-cap index fund is to be invested in all of the biggest U.S. firms, new fast-tracking rules help accomplish that sooner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Owning an index fund does not eliminate active decision-making.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026