Where does “addressable” come from?
Addressable comes from English address with the suffix -able, ultimately from Latin ad- (to) and directus (directed), meaning capable of being addressed.
addressable (English): Able to be addressed
Definitions
- Able to be addressed
Ancestry of “addressable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | address | "Direction."; "Preparation."; To prepare oneself |
| 2 | Middle English | adressen | to raise erect, adorn |
| 3 | Middle English | dressen | To direct or aim oneself |
| 4 | Old French | drecier | to stand up; to get on one's feet |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | directiare | — |
| 6 | Latin | dīrectus | laid straight, arranged in lines, having been arranged in lines |
| 7 | Latin | dīrigō | to lay straight; arrange in lines (especially in military contexts) |
| 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 |