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

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

Yet what index fund investors see in their portfolios will be quite different, as the largest-ever IPO will represent only a fraction of the company’s total shares currently owned by private investors.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The question is: Will your index fund or ETF own these newly minted megacap stocks immediately, years from now or not at all?

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

He assumed you bought and held a total stock-market index fund for 30-year periods starting in 1926 and paid federal taxes at the rates that applied in each of those years.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Either of these fees are much higher than your average stock index fund.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026