address
noun · verb
Simple meaning
The way of speaking to another individual.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
adressSay the bold part a little louder.
noun: adressverb: uhdress
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈædrɛs
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The manner of speaking to another individual
“He failed in his manner of address to the captain.”
A manner of speaking or writing to another; language, style.
diplomacypolitics
A formal approach to a sovereign or head of state, especially an official appeal or petition.
An act of addressing oneself to a person or group; a discourse or speech, or a record of this.
A description of the location of a property, usually with at least a street name and number, name of a town, and now also a postal code; such a description as superscribed for direction on an envelope or letter.
A sign in front of a house or business carrying the conventional form by which its location is described
verb
transitivereflexive
To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
reflexive
To direct one's remarks (to someone).
transitive
To direct, as words (to anyone or anything); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any audience).
Give a speech to
“The chairman addressed the board of trustees.”
transitive
To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to.
“He addressed the crowd outside the window.”
transitive
To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The manner of speaking to another individual
This specific meaning of 'address' focuses on how someone communicates, encompassing tone, word choice, and overall demeanor. It's often used when evaluating public speaking or formal interactions. Compare with 'delivery' which focuses more on presentation.
“He failed in his manner of address to the captain.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where you'll really hear it
Performance review
“Her address to the new hires was inspiring and clear.”
Historical commentary
“The speaker's passionate address captivated the large audience.”
Etiquette guide
“A respectful address is crucial when speaking to elders.”
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “address to …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: address to …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Speakingnoun
“He failed in his manner of address to the captain.”
Directverb
“He addressed the crowd outside the window.”
Giveverb
“The chairman addressed the board of trustees.”
More ways to use address
- “He listened to an address on minor Roman poets.”noun
- “The chairman addressed the board of trustees.”verb
- “He failed in his manner of address to the captain.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Marked with a destination.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A printer that automatically prints addresses on letters for mailing.
An identifying appellation signifying status or function: e.g. `Mr.' or `General'.
A three-minute address by Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War at the dedication of a national cemetery on the site of the Battle of Gettysburg (November 19, 1863).
An address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president).
A speech setting forth the keynote.
The address where a person or organization can be communicated with.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
One to whom something is addressed.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to prepare oneself
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.