Where does “index” come from?
index (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch index, from Latin index, from Latin dīcō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus, from Latin disserere, from Latin dis- — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.
index (Dutch): index; index finger
Ancestry of “index”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | index | — |
| 2 | Latin | index | A pointer, indicator; The index finger,... |
| 3 | Latin | dīcō | — |
| 4 | Latin | -tiō | — |
| 5 | Latin | dissertātiō | — |
| 6 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 7 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 8 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 9 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 10 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |
Words derived from “index”