Where does “addressee” come from?
Addressee comes from English address with the suffix -ee, from Old French adrecier meaning to direct toward, from Latin ad- combined with directus meaning directed.
addressee (English): The person or organization to which something,...
Definitions
- The person or organization to which something,...
Ancestry of “addressee”, 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 |