file card: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal / Technical (Office Systems)
Quick answer
What does “file card” mean?
A rectangular piece of stiff paper or cardboard, often lined or ruled, used for recording brief information and stored in a filing system.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rectangular piece of stiff paper or cardboard, often lined or ruled, used for recording brief information and stored in a filing system.
1. In manual office systems, a card designed to hold a single record within a filing cabinet. 2. A card-based system for organizing information. 3. Less commonly, a wire brush used for cleaning metalworking files (primarily technical/specialist use).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or use. The concept is identical in both cultures.
Connotations
Connotes traditional, physical office work. May evoke a sense of being outdated or archival.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both dialects, largely supplanted by terms like 'record', 'database entry', or 'digital file'.
Grammar
How to Use “file card” in a Sentence
keep/maintain a file card on [person/topic]update the file cardorganise file cards by [category]pull/remove a file cardVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “file card” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The file-card system was cumbersome.
- We found a file-card index in the basement.
American English
- The file-card system was inefficient.
- They maintained a file-card catalogue.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Largely historical; used when referring to legacy paper-based systems or in specific analog workflows.
Academic
Used in library science, archival studies, and historical research to describe primary source organization.
Everyday
Very rare; mostly understood by older generations or in metaphorical use ('like an old file card').
Technical
Precise term in library cataloguing (e.g., card catalogue) and in describing certain manual data storage methods.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “file card”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “file card”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “file card”
- Spelling as one word: 'filecard' (less standard).
- Confusing with 'file' in computing.
- Using it to refer to a folder or a larger document.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially yes, in the context of filing systems. 'Index card' is a more common general term, while 'file card' emphasises its function within a filing system.
No. A 'file card' is a physical object. For digital data, use terms like 'file', 'document', 'record', or 'entry'.
Yes, for understanding historical texts, working in archives or specific manual systems, and for general vocabulary comprehension, even if active use is limited.
A file card is a single, stiff piece of paper for brief data. A folder is a container (often made of card or plastic) designed to hold multiple sheets of paper or documents together.
A rectangular piece of stiff paper or cardboard, often lined or ruled, used for recording brief information and stored in a filing system.
File card is usually formal / technical (office systems) in register.
File card: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪl ˌkɑːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪl ˌkɑːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not commonly idiomatic]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FILE (folder) that's the size and shape of a CARD. It's a card you file away.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEMORY/INFORMATION IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT TO BE STORED. The mind or system is a filing cabinet.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is a 'file card' most accurately used today?