ENGLISH
REFERENCE

issue

n. · v.
US //ˈɪʃu// UK //ˈɪʃuː// is·sue
  1. 1 a problem or topic (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    an important topic or problem that people are thinking and talking about.

    a point or matter in contest between two or more parties; a subject of widespread concern or debate.

    Example

    Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing the world today.

    Example

    The candidates spent the majority of the debate addressing economic issues rather than focusing on foreign policy.
  2. 2 magazine edition (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    one specific version of a newspaper or magazine from a particular day or month.

    a single copy or edition of a periodical publication.

    Example

    Have you read the latest issue of the school magazine?

    Example

    The September issue of the journal features a comprehensive review of recent advancements in molecular biology.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 children/offspring (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Law

    your children or the people who come after you in your family.

    offspring or progeny; often used in legal contexts regarding inheritance.

    Example

    The old king died without any issue to take the throne.

    Example

    The will stipulated that the estate should be divided equally among his living issue.
  2. 4 to give out officially (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to officially give something to someone, like a passport, a warning, or a statement.

    to produce or provide something officially; to put into circulation.

    Example

    The police issued a warning about the heavy snow expected tonight.

    Example

    The department will issue new identification cards to all staff members by the end of the fiscal year.
  3. 5 to flow out (v.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    to come out of something or flow out from a place.

    to come forth or proceed from a source; to emerge or result from.

    Example

    A strange smell started to issue from the old basement.

    Example

    Thick plumes of smoke began to issue from the factory chimneys, obscuring the morning horizon.
Origin

From Middle English issue, from Old French issue (“an exit, a way out”), feminine past participle of issir (“to exit”), from Latin exeō (“go out, exit”), from prefix ex- (“out”) + eō (“go”). The legal meaning originated from the concept of "the end or result of pleadings in a suit (by presenting the point to be determined by trial)," leading to the sense of "the controversy over facts in a trial" (early 14th century, Anglo-French). This later extended to mean "a point of contention between two parties" (early 15th century) and more generally, "an important point to be decided" (1836). Consequently, the verbal phrase take issue with emerged in 1797 (preceded by join issue in the 1690s), meaning "to adopt an affirmative or negative stance in a dispute with another." The expression to have issues, meaning "to have unresolved conflicts," dates back to 1990.

Word family
Idioms3 entries

© 2026 English Reference