Other forms: indicated, indicates, indicating
To indicate is to point towards a fact or a direction. The figures indicate a rise, indicate the exit, all the evidence indicates otherwise.
It is the standard formal verb in research writing, where it is deliberately weaker than prove: results indicate rather than results show. In British driving, to indicate is to signal a turn, and the indicators are the flashing lights — turn signals in America. Note indication, meaning a sign; indicative, which in grammar names the ordinary factual mood; and indicator, both the light and any measure that tracks something.
1verbindicateTo point towards a fact or direction.
“Everything in the report indicates the same conclusion.”
2verbsignalTo signal a turn when driving.
“He turned left without indicating and blamed everybody else.”
indicate is a pointing out.
Also accepted in games: show, signal
Latin indicare is in- plus dicare, to proclaim — the same root as index, the pointing finger, and dictate. To indicate is to point out, and index finger keeps the gesture in the name.
Proto-Indo-European
*deyḱ-
Latin
indicātus
English, today
indicate
Built from
Latin indicātus, perfect passive participle of indicō (“to point out, indicate”) (see -ate), from in- (“in, to”) + dicō (“to declare, (originally) to point”). See also diction and index.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA