In this paper, we introduce the polynomial numerical index of order $k$ of a Banach space, generalizing to $k$-homogeneous polynomials the ‘classical’ numerical index defined by Lumer in the 1970s for linear operators. We also prove some results. Let $k$ be a positive integer. We then have the following:

(i) $n^{(k)}(C(K))=1$ for every scattered compact space $K$.

(ii) The inequality $n^{(k)}(E)\geq k^{k/(1-k)}$ for every complex Banach space $E$ and the constant $k^{k/(1-k)}$ is sharp.

(iii) The inequalities

$$ n^{(k)}(E)\leq n^{(k-1)}(E)\leq\frac{k^{(k+(1/(k-1)))}}{(k-1)^{k-1}}n^{(k)}(E) $$

for every Banach space $E$.

(iv) The relation between the polynomial numerical index of $c_0$, $l_1$, $l_{\infty}$ sums of Banach spaces and the infimum of the polynomial numerical indices of them.

(v) The relation between the polynomial numerical index of the space $C(K,E)$ and the polynomial numerical index of $E$.

(vi) The inequality $n^{(k)}(E^{**})\leq n^{(k)}(E)$ for every Banach space $E$.

Finally, some results about the numerical radius of multilinear maps and homogeneous polynomials on $C(K)$ and the disc algebra are given.