Etymologically
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adresser

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 11:31. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.dʁɛ.se/[1]
  • IPA: /a.dʁe.se/[1]

Forms

adresser[1] Old French adrecier, adrecer; written adresser from the early 15th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French a- + dresser, first adrecier, from the older form of the verb, drecier.[2][3][4][1] That verb continues inherited from Vulgar Latin *dīrēctiāre, from dīrēctus (“straight”), the past participle of dīrigō (“to direct”).[5][1][6]

Compare Picard adrécher, Old Occitan adreissar, Spanish aderezar and Italian indirizzare.[7][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the early 12th century, as a reflexive, and in 1170 as a transitive verb, with the sense “to raise, set up straight”, Thomas Becket's biographer uses adrecier for setting right (redressing) one's misdeeds.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

From about 1174 s'adrecer meant “to go towards”, and adrecer “to direct”, a sense alive until the 17th century (adresser ses pas).[2][5][8] From the idea of direction came the modern uses: “to address (words) to someone” (14th century) and “to send to someone” (mid-16th century), especially through an intermediary or by post.[2][4] Adresser à quelqu'un “to speak to” (1518) gave way to the reflexive s'adresser à, also said of things, “to be meant for”.[2]

The derivative adresse first meant “direct road” (1177–79); its senses “skill” and “address” both developed in the 16th and 17th centuries.[2][5]

Timeline

  • Early 12th century – Reflexive adrecier.[2]
  • 1170 – Transitive, “to raise, set up”.[2]
  • c. 1174 – S'adrecer “to go towards”.[2]
  • 14th century – “To address (words)”.[2]
  • Early 15th century – The spelling adresser.[3][2]
  • 1518 – Adresser à quelqu'un “to speak to”.[2]
  • Mid-16th century – “To send”.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To address, direct (words) to someone: adresser la parole à quelqu'un, adresser des reproches.[4][1]
  2. To send, direct (something) to someone: adresser une lettre; to dedicate (a work).[4][8]
  3. To refer (someone) to the right person: le médecin m'a adressé à un spécialiste.[4]
  4. (classical) To aim, direct: adresser ses pas.[8]
  5. S'adresser à: to speak to, apply to; to be meant for: ce livre s'adresse aux enfants.[2][1]
  6. (computing) To assign an address to.[4][3]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 84a
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse