Redirecting

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of guiding something in a different direction can refer to changing the course of a physical object or altering the focus of a conversation or project
2. This process involves not only changing an object's path but also adjusting plans or discussions to follow a new trajectory
3. To steer something away from its original route entails modifying both physical movements and the context of verbal or written exchanges

Etymology: "Redirecting" is the present participle of "redirect", so it is the -ing form of a verb built from two familiar parts. The prefix "re-" means "again" or "back", and "direct" comes from Latin "directus", the past participle of "dirigere", "to arrange in a straight line" or "to guide". Put together, "redirect" means to guide something back onto a new or different course. The base word "direct" thus carries the sense of straightness and aim, which is why a letter addressed to the wrong place is redirected: its path is straightened toward a new destination. Adding "-ing" turns the verb into the ongoing action, as in a traffic officer redirecting cars around a closed road.

Synonyms: rerouting, deflecting