Addressing

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əˈdɹɛsɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Directing speech or comments towards a person ; writing the recipient's details on a letter or package ; taking action to resolve an issue or concern
2. Speaking in a way meant for a particular audience ; putting names and locations on mail to ensure delivery ; handling or working on a specific matter
3. Communicating by speaking to a group or individual ; marking something with location or destination information ; managing or responding to a situation or difficulty

Etymology: The most striking thing about "addressing" is that its ancestor once meant almost the opposite of sending a letter. Middle English "adressen" meant "to raise erect, adorn," and it came from Old French "adrecier," "to straighten." The Latin root is "dīrēctus," "straight, right," from "dīrigō," "to lay straight; to direct," which itself grew out of "regō," "to govern, to rule." So the idea underneath was lining something up correctly, the same logic that makes a sentence "directed" at someone. The sense of aiming words at a listener came later, as the verb moved from setting things upright toward pointing them in a direction. Once a person could be "addressed" by a letter or a speech, the verb naturally spread to marking a parcel with its destination, and then to tackling a problem head-on, as in "addressing a difficulty." Each of these uses keeps the original sense of aligning something toward a target.

Synonyms: speaking, talking, communicating, discussing, mentioning