# issue

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɪʃuː/ · frequency rank #589

## Definitions
1. The action or an instance of flowing or coming out, an outflow
2. The action or an instance of flowing or coming out, an outflow
3. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
4. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
5. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
6. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
7. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
8. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
9. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
10. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
11. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
12. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
13. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
14. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
15. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
16. Someone or something that flows out or comes out
17. The means or opportunity by which something flows or comes out, particularly
18. The means or opportunity by which something flows or comes out
19. The place where something flows or comes out, an outlet
20. The place where something flows or comes out, an outlet
21. The action or an instance of sending something out, particularly
22. The action or an instance of sending something out
23. The action or an instance of sending something out
24. The action or an instance of sending something out
25. The action or an instance of sending something out
26. Any question or situation to be resolved, particularly
27. Any question or situation to be resolved
28. Any question or situation to be resolved
29. Any question or situation to be resolved
30. Any question or situation to be resolved
31. The action or an instance of concluding something
32. The action or an instance of concluding something
33. The end result of an event or events, any result or outcome, particularly
34. The end result of an event or events, any result or outcome
35. The end result of an event or events, any result or outcome
36. The action or an instance of feeling some emotion.
37. The action or an instance of leaving any state or condition.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **isu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issue-vs-isu)
- **issues** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issue-vs-issues)
- **issued** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issue-vs-issued)
- **issuer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issue-vs-issuer)
- **ISS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/iss-vs-issue)
- **isle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/isle-vs-issue)
- **issa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issa-vs-issue)
- **Inoue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inoue-vs-issue)
- **Issac** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/issac-vs-issue)
- **insure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/insure-vs-issue)

## Common misspellings (4)
`isseu`, `isue`, `isuse`, `sisue`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/issue