In semiotics, linguistics, anthropology, and philosophy of language, indexicality is the phenomenon of a sign pointing to (or indexing) some element in the context in which it occurs. A sign that signifies …

Sep 14, 2001 · An indexical is, roughly speaking, a linguistic expression whose reference can shift from context to context. For example, the indexical ‘you’ may refer to one person in one context and to …

Certain indexicals, often called “pure indexicals”, have their content fixed automatically in a context of use in virtue of their meaning. “I”, “today”, and “actually” are common examples of pure indexicals.

May 12, 2025 · An indexical expression (such as today, that, here, utterance, and you) is a word or phrase that is associated with different meanings (or referents) on different occasions.

Dec 11, 2015 · The meaning of INDEXICAL is of or relating to an index. How to use indexical in a sentence.

Indexical definition: arranged as or relating to an index or indexes. See examples of INDEXICAL used in a sentence.

May 4, 2025 · indexical (comparative more indexical, superlative most indexical) Of, pertaining to, or like, an index; having the form of an index. (linguistics, philosophy) Having or imparting a meaning, or …

A sentence containing an indexical, such as ‘I am hungry’, can be used to say different things in different contexts, in part because of the different semantic contributions made by ‘I’ in these contexts.

Factsheet What does the adjective indexical mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective indexical. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Indexical refers to words or signs that derive meaning from their context, such as time, place, or speaker. Examples include here, now, or I, which change meaning depending on the situation.