addressable

/əˈdɹesəbəl/uh-DREH-suh-buhl

/əˈdɹɛsəbəl/uh-DREH-suh-buhl

Meaningthat one can direct

Common meaning: able to be addressed

adto, towardsSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 8 · scan
dressto set straight, to directSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 8 · scan
ableable to be

‘to, towards’ + ‘to set straight, to direct’ → addressable

Journey through time

Latinad- + dresser‘to, towards + to set straight, to direct’source
Frenchadresser‘to address’source
Middle Englishadressensource
Englishaddress‘to speak to’
Englishformed in English from addressaddressable‘able to be addressed’ · today

Sources & notes

Inferred source: no dictionary we use has an entry for this exact word. Its history is worked out from closely related, listed words in the same family, and we are trusting that link, so bear that in mind. Inferred meaning: that one can direct. It can be inferred from any of: address.

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from address + -able (inferred: this exact word is not listed in our dictionaries).

Roots

adresser French “to direct”
dresser Old French “to set straight, to direct”

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app