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"address" in seven languages

Meaningaddress

Spanish

dirección

/diɾekˈθjon/

fem.learned

Also 'direction' and 'management'.

French

adresse

/adʁɛs/

fem.inherited

From adresser 'to direct' (spoken Latin *ADDĪRĒCTIĀRE).

Italian

indirizzo

/indiˈrittso/

masc.inherited

From indirizzare 'to direct' (spoken Latin *INDĪRĒCTIĀRE).

Portuguese

endereço

/ẽdeˈɾesu/

masc.inherited

From endereçar, Vulgar Latin *INDĪRĒCTIĀRE.

Romanian

adresă

/aˈdresə/

fem.borrowed · French adresse

plural: adrese

Catalan

adreça

/əˈdɾesə/

fem.inherited

English

address

/ˈædɹɛs/

from Latin/French · Old French adresser

English → ItalianaddressindirizzoCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

DĪRĒCTUM‘straight, directed’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

All three build an address from the idea of 'directing' a letter. English address is the French word; dress originally meant 'to put straight'.

English relatives: address, direct, direction, dress

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • es¿Cuál es tu dirección?
  • frQuelle est ton adresse ?
  • itQual è il tuo indirizzo?
  • ptQual é o seu endereço?
  • roCare e adresa ta?
  • caQuina és la teva adreça?
  • enWhat's your address?

The Latin family

DĪRIG-, DĪRĒCT-· set straight, guide

DĪRĒCTUM 'set straight' became the everyday Romance word for 'straight', 'right' and 'law' (spoken *DERECTU → derecho, droit, diritto). The learned doublet directo, direct, diretto kept the sense 'without detour'. French also built a verb on it that English borrowed as dress and address. Romanian drept 'straight; right; law' shows the Eastern -CT- → -pt-.

  • DĪRĒCTUMstraight; right; law

    esderechofrdroititdirittoptdireitorodreptcadret

  • DĪRĒCTUMdirect (learned)

    esdirectofrdirectitdirettoptdiretorodirectcadirecteendirect

  • DĪRĒCTIŌNEMa straightening, guiding

    esdirecciónfrdirectionitdirezioneptdireçãorodirecțiecadireccióendirection

  • DĪRIGEREto set straight, steer

    esdirigirfrdirigeritdirigereptdirigirrodirijacadirigir

  • *DĪRĒCTIĀREto set straight

    esaderezarfrdresseritdrizzareptendereçarcaadreçarendress

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