index number

American  

noun

Statistics.

1. a quantity whose variation over a period of time measures the change in some phenomenon.

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index number British  

noun

1. statistics a statistic indicating the relative change occurring in each successive period of time in the price, volume, or value of a commodity or in a general economic variable, such as the price level, national income, or gross output, with reference to a previous base period conventionally given the number 100

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Etymology

Origin of index number

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

The higher the index number, the more confident builders feel.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 18, 2025

VTS produces a quarterly index number that gauges the interest among companies for new office space in seven major markets.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 17, 2023

A rational exponent is a fraction: the denominator of the fraction is the root or index number and the numerator is the power to which it is raised.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

While it is possible to reach a mass audience with the NFL, the audience has an index number of 118 among consumers with incomes of more than $100,000.

From Forbes • Oct. 9, 2014

From these considerations I deduce that the index number of general commodities may be safely taken as 200 when your book appears.

From The Foundations of Japan Notes Made During Journeys Of 6,000 Miles In The Rural Districts As A Basis For A Sounder Knowledge Of The Japanese People by Scott, J.W. Robertson