Etymology
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Gettysburg

town in south-central Pennsylvania, U.S., 1800 (earlier it was Gettys-town), founded 1780s by Gen. James Gettys and named for him. Civil War battle there was fought July 1-3, 1863. In U.S. history, the Gettysburg Address (see address (n.)) was given Nov. 19, 1863, on the occasion of the consecration of a cemetery there for the battlefield dead, and was being called that by 1865, though before President Lincoln's assassination the term tended to refer to Edward Everett's full oration that preceded Lincoln's short speech.

Entries linking to Gettysburg

address (n.)

1530s, "dutiful or courteous approach," from address (v.) and from French adresse (13c., from the verb in French). The meaning "power of directing one's actions and conduct" is from 1590s; that of "act or manner of speaking to" is from 1670s. The sense of "formal speech to an audience" (Gettysburg Address, etc.) is from 1751. Sense of "superscription of a letter" (guiding it to its destination) is from 1712 and led to the meaning "place of residence" (by c. 1816). The transferred use in computer programming is from 1948. Middle English had a noun addressing "control, correction" (late 14c.).

updated on October 10, 2017

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Dictionary entries near Gettysburg

Gethsemane

get-out

get-rich-quick

gettable

get-together

Gettysburg

get-up

*geus-

gewgaw

gey

geyser

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper