Where does “Soundex” come from?

Soundex (English) comes from English 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.

Soundex (English): A phonetic algorithm for indexing names by their...

Definitions

  1. A phonetic algorithm for indexing names by their...

Ancestry of “Soundex”, step by step

Soundex traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English index

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishindexAn alphabetical listing of items and their...
2LatinindexA pointer, indicator; The index finger,...
3Latindīcōto say, talk, speak, utter, mention
4Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
5Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English Sound

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSoundThe strait that separates Zealand (an island of Denmark) from Scania (part of Sweden); also sometimes called by the Danish name, Øresund
2Middle Englishsound
3Old Englishsundswimming; sea, water
4Old Norsesundswimming; strait, sound; swimming, sound
5Proto-Germanicsundąswimming; sound, strait
6Proto-Germanicswimmanąto be unsteady; to swim; float
7Proto-Indo-Europeanswem(bʰ)-to bend, turn, swing; to be unsteady, move, swim
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ
Soundex — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer