form/term of address
noun phrase
: a word, name, or title that is used when speaking or writing to someone
"Honey" is an affectionate term of address in U.S. English.
Examples of form/term of address in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The proper form of address is one that is respectful and that the customer prefers — for themselves.
—
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Does Miss Manners have a non-gender-specific form of address that shows respect without the risk of causing offense?
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
That is not to say that Miss Manners endorses that form of address.
—Miss Manners | Judith Martin, Anchorage Daily News, 25 July 2023
Living in the city, meanwhile, upended all my conceptions about what my ancestors’ preferred collective form of address meant.
—Maud Newton, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
The word shifted away from its earlier foppish sense over the course of the 20th century, with African-American usage in particular moving it into an approving term for any man, as well as a term of address.
—Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 4 Sep. 2020
Dolphins can recognize individuals through these whistles and will sometimes copy one another’s, perhaps as a form of address.
—Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 26 June 2023
But Miss Manners can think of working situations where clues must be given not only to identify the person’s occupation, but to provide the form of address.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 25 Apr. 2023
How ‘ma’am’ went from respectful to polarizing While generally considered to be a polite form of address, some women are increasingly outraged by the term. Reduce stress and boost happiness with these daily practices Practicing gratitude regularly offers many health and wellness benefits.
—Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Does Miss Manners have a non-gender-specific form of address that shows respect without the risk of causing offense?
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 18 June 2024
That is not to say that Miss Manners endorses that form of address.
—Miss Manners | Judith Martin, Anchorage Daily News, 25 July 2023
Living in the city, meanwhile, upended all my conceptions about what my ancestors’ preferred collective form of address meant.
—Maud Newton, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2022
The word shifted away from its earlier foppish sense over the course of the 20th century, with African-American usage in particular moving it into an approving term for any man, as well as a term of address.
—Ben Zimmer, WSJ, 4 Sep. 2020
Dolphins can recognize individuals through these whistles and will sometimes copy one another’s, perhaps as a form of address.
—Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 26 June 2023
But Miss Manners can think of working situations where clues must be given not only to identify the person’s occupation, but to provide the form of address.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 25 Apr. 2023
How ‘ma’am’ went from respectful to polarizing While generally considered to be a polite form of address, some women are increasingly outraged by the term. Reduce stress and boost happiness with these daily practices Practicing gratitude regularly offers many health and wellness benefits.
—Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 13 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Form/term of address.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/form%2Fterm%20of%20address. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share