Response

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /rɪˈspÉ’ns/
• Rhymes: -É’ns

Origin

Old French, ultimately from the Latin respōnsum, a nominal use of the neuter form of respōnsus, the perfect passive participle of respondeō, from re ("again") + spondeō ("promise").

Full definition of response

Noun

1. (an answer or reply)An answer or reply, or something in the nature of an answer or reply.
2. (the act of responding or replying)The act of responding or replying; reply: as, to speak in response to a question.
3. An oracular answer.
4. (liturgics) A verse, sentence, phrase, or word said or sung by the choir or congregation in sequence or reply to the priest or officiant.
5. (liturgics) A versicle or anthem said or sung during or after a lection; a respond or responsory.
6. A reply to an objection in formal disputation.
7. An online advertising performance metric representing one click-through from an online ad to its destination URL.
8. A reaction to a stimulus or provocation.
• 2013, Stephen P. Lownie, David M. Pelz, Stents to Prevent Stroke, As we age, the major arteries of our bodies frequently become thickened with plaque, a fatty material with an oatmeal-like consistency that builds up along the inner lining of blood vessels. The reason plaque forms isn’t entirely known, but it seems to be related to high levels of cholesterol inducing an inflammatory response, which can also attract and trap more cellular debris over time.

Derived terms

• consultary response

Synonyms

• reaction

Related terms