English Reference

Word

address

Phoneticsad·dress, stress on the first syllable

/ˈæˌdɹɛs/

Definitions

01home or building location

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. the details of where a building is, including the house number and street name.

n. the conventional description of the location of a building, apartment, or plot of land.

“Please write your home address at the top of the form.”

“The courier was unable to locate the delivery address because the street signs in the new housing development had not yet been installed.”

Pitfall

I wrote my address on the letter's back.

I wrote my address on the back of the envelope.

In English, we usually say 'on the back of' rather than 'on the letter's back' for locations.

02digital location

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Computing

n. a series of letters or numbers used to find a website or send an email.

n. a unique identifier for a computer, network location, or email account.

“I forgot to save the web address for the online store.”

“The system administrator assigned a static IP address to the printer to ensure that all workstations could maintain a consistent connection.”

Synonyms

03formal speech

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Politics Formal

n. a formal speech given to a large group of people.

n. a formal discourse or declamation delivered to a specific audience.

“The president gave a televised address to the nation last night.”

“The keynote address focused on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in modern healthcare systems.”

04to speak to someone

B1 · Intermediate Formal

v. to speak or write to someone directly.

v. to direct a speech or written communication to a specific person or group.

“You should address the manager if you have a serious complaint.”

“The professor requested that students address her by her formal title during the seminar.”

Synonyms

greetspeak to

Antonyms

05to deal with a problem

B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic

v. to give attention to a problem and try to fix it.

v. to direct one's attention or efforts towards a specific issue or task.

“We need to address the safety concerns before the factory reopens.”

“The new policy fails to address the underlying causes of the budget deficit, focusing instead on short-term cost-cutting measures.”

Antonyms

06to write a destination

B1 · Intermediate

v. to write a name and location on an envelope or package.

v. to mark a letter or parcel with the name and destination of the recipient.

“She carefully addressed the wedding invitations by hand.”

“The clerk refused to accept the package because it was incorrectly addressed and lacked a return label.”

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “address” in context.

01. address to send 02. address aspect 03. address challenge 04. address concern 05. address gap 06. address impact 07. address issue 08. address the issue 09. address the problem 10. address in south 11. address systematically 12. address the needs

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Proto-Italic *dwizrektos Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti Proto-Italic *dwizregō Vulgar Latin dīrigō Vulgar Latin dīrēctus Proto-Indo-European *-yetider. Vulgar Latin -iāre Vulgar Latin *dīrēctiāre Old French drecier Old French adrecierbor. Middle English adressen English address From Middle English adressen (“to raise erect, adorn”), from Old French adrecier (“to straighten, address”) (modern French adresser), from Proto-Romance addīrēctiāre, from ad- (“to; towards”) + dīrēctiāre (“to guide; to direct”), from Latin dīrēctus (“straight; right”), from dīrigō (“to lay straight; to direct”), itself from regō (“to govern, to rule”). Cognate with Spanish aderezar (“to garnish; dress (food); to add spices”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domains

ComputingInternetPolitics

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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