issue
UK[ˈɪʃuː]US[ˈɪʃuː]
n
An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.
n
The act of supplying or distributing an item for use, sale, or official purposes.
n
A single copy of a newspaper or magazine published regularly.
v
To supply or distribute something for use, sale, or official purposes.
v
To come, go, or flow out from.
Etymology
The word 'issue' entered English in the 14th century from Anglo-French and Old French 'issue', meaning 'an exit, a way out, or a result'. This French term is the feminine past participle of 'issir', meaning 'to go out', which itself derives from the Latin verb 'exire', a combination of 'ex-' ('out') and 'ire' ('to go'). The core concept of 'going out' or 'exiting' is the logical foundation for all its modern meanings. The sense of a topic 'coming out' for discussion, an item 'going out' for distribution, and offspring 'coming out' from a parent (an archaic meaning) all flow directly from this literal origin. Over centuries, the physical sense of 'exit' receded, allowing the abstract and procedural meanings to become dominant.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Old French. Its spelling and form do not allow for a clean segmentation into productive English morphemes based on its current spelling.
Examples
The main issue at the meeting was climate change policy.
The government will issue new passports next month.
The latest issue of the magazine features an exclusive interview.