indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
| \ ˈin-də-ˌkā-tər
\
\
Definition of indicator
1
: one that indicates: such as
a
: an index hand (as on a dial) : pointer
b(1)
: gauge sense 2b, dial sense 4a
(2)
: an instrument for automatically making a diagram that indicates the pressure in and volume of the working fluid of an engine throughout the cycle
2a
: a substance (such as litmus) used to show visually (as by change of color) the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of a particular material (such as a free acid or alkali)
b
: tracer sense 4b
3
: an organism or ecological community so strictly associated with particular environmental conditions that its presence is indicative of the existence of these conditions
4
: any of a group of statistical values (such as level of employment) that taken together give an indication of the health of the economy
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Other Words from indicator
indicatory
\ in-ˈdi-kə-ˌtȯr-ē
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of indicator in a Sentence
Economic indicators suggest that prices will go up.
a control panel with various indicator lights
Recent Examples on the Web
In football as in anything else, past results are not necessarily an indicator of future success (or lack thereof). — Creg Stephenson | [email protected], al, "Recapping South Alabama’s football history vs. Power 5 opponents heading into opener at Nebraska," 27 Aug. 2019 Along with other indicators, such as China’s declining stash of foreign assets, this declining CA balance corroborates the standard view that China is no longer a currency manipulator. — David Beckworth, National Review, "Why the U.S. Dollar Will Remain Strong," 22 Aug. 2019 Falling corporate profitability is considered a strong, though not infallible, indicator of an approaching recession. — Stephen Gandel, CBS News, "Fading corporate profits heighten U.S. recession fears," 22 Aug. 2019 But nationwide, student satisfaction is yet to rise, indicating these universities are in a minority (the measure is, though, a lagging indicator, as students fill in forms only after finishing their degree). — The Economist, "The winners and losers of England’s great university free-for-all," 22 Aug. 2019 None of these keys can be quickly or neatly reached by rotating the left wrist, and none of them include physical indicators (notches, textures) to indicate which is which. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Guidemaster: Navigating the hazy world of gaming laptops in 2019," 19 Aug. 2019 One positive indicator for Harris’ thread-the-needle strategy may be the way voters group her with other candidates. — Tal Kopan, SFChronicle.com, "Kamala Harris’ thread-the-needle message put to test in crucial 2020 state," 16 Aug. 2019 The workshops will focus on plant identification, including seasonal indicators, nontoxic methods for controlling unwelcome invaders and ways to eradicate exotic plants without disturbing native flora that benefits songbirds and other wildlife. — cleveland.com, "Upcoming workshops help large landowners control invasive plants without chemicals," 1 Aug. 2019 For now, but if history is an indicator, the numbers reported by Capital One are probably low. — Michael Simon, PCWorld, "100 million Capital One credit card applications hacked: What you need to know (and do next)," 30 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indicator.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for indicator
indicator
noun
English Language Learners Definition of indicator
: a sign that shows the condition or existence of something
: a pointer or light that shows the state or condition of something
: a device that shows a measurement
See the full definition for indicator in the English Language Learners Dictionary
indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
| \ ˈin-də-ˌkā-tər
\
\
Kids Definition of indicator
1
: a sign that shows or suggests the condition or existence of something
2
: a pointer on a dial or scale
indicator
noun
in·di·ca·tor
| \ ˈin-də-ˌkāt-ər
\
\
Medical Definition of indicator
: a substance (as a dye) used to show visually (as by a change in color) the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of a particular material (as a free acid or alkali)
litmus and phenolphthalein are acid-base indicators
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