Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

address resolution
     
         Conversion of an {Internet address} into the
        corresponding physical address ({Ethernet address}).  This is
        usually done using {Address Resolution Protocol}.
     
        The {resolver} is a library routine and a set of processes
        which converts {hostnames} into {Internet addresses}, though
        this process in not usually referred to as {resolution}.  See
        {DNS}.
     
        (1996-04-09)