A sign, measure, or piece of information that reveals the condition or level of something; a gauge used to monitor progress, performance, or status in a particular area.
From Latin 'indicare' meaning 'to point out, show, indicate,' from 'in-' (toward) + 'dicare' (to proclaim, dedicate). The agent suffix '-ator' creates a noun meaning 'one who points out.'
The root 'dicare' also gives us 'dedicate' and 'dictionary' - so an indicator is literally something that 'proclaims' or 'declares' information, like a dictionary declares word meanings!
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