Addition vs. Edition

He bought a car in addition to the truck he got last week.

The new edition of the book will be published next month.

Addition and edition are homophones that is, they sound the same but spell and mean totally different from their other half. This article will throw light on the two homophones and how to tell them apart easily without making a mistake.

Origin:

Addition originated from late Middle English: from Latin additio(n- ), from the verb addere meaning to add. Edition originated from late Middle English: from French dition, from Latin dition(n- ), from edere ‘put out’, from e- (variant of ex- ) ‘out’ + dare ‘give’.

Addition as noun:

Addition is used as a noun in English language where it means the action or process of adding something to something else.

The hotel has been extended with the addition of more rooms.

A person or thing added or joined is also known as they addition.

You will find the coat a useful addition to your wardrobe.

Addition is also used to refer to the process of calculating the total of two or more numbers or amounts.

She began with simple arithmetic, addition and then subtraction.

Edition as noun:

Edition is also used as a noun in English where it implies the meaning of a particular form or version of a published text.

I purchased a paperback edition of my favorite novel.

Edition is also a particular version of a text maintained by regular revision.

A first edition of Shakespeare was displayed in the library today.

The total number of copies of a book, newspaper, or other published material issued at one time is also an edition.

Variations occurred after some of the edition had already been published.

Examples:

The package will see the addition of four boats to MCS’ existing fleet of nine support vessels. [BBC News]

In addition, 12.5 million people, or 68 per cent of Aussies, say they know people who are finding it difficult to pay for basic necessities. [Sydney Morning Herald]

For its 25th edition, the world-music event will move its outdoor gathering place from its former location to the parterre of Quartier des spectacles. [Montreal Gazette]

The special edition of the book will be available only for Amazon Kindle e-readers and will sell for $9.99. [Los Angeles Times]

Edition or addition:

Anna was a packrat. Among other things, she had a collection of broken coffeemakers, a stash of flattened cardboard boxes, and every edition of the past year’s Globe & Mail piled in the dining room. If she kept it up, she’d soon need to build an addition on the house! Addition refers to something that is added, remember addition starts with add. Edition refers to something that is edited/published, remember edition starts with edit.

Did this article make a great addition in your English understanding?