Address
/əˈdrɛs/noun
A place where someone lives or can be reached, or the act of speaking to someone or writing directions on a letter.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin ad- (“to, toward”) plus directus (“straight”), so at its root an address is something aimed with purpose, not just a line on an envelope.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
addirectus
“made straight toward; directed”
Old French
Old French
adresser
“to align, guide, direct, or prepare”
Middle English
English
adres(s)en
“to direct oneself or something toward a purpose or person”
16th–17th Century
English
address
“to speak to, direct words to, or arrange something carefully”
Modern English
English
address
“a location, a formal speech, or the act of directing communication”