From Middle English respounden, from Old French respondre, from Late Latin respondō, from Latin respondeō.

• (RP) IPA: /ɹɪˈspɒnd/, /ɹəˈspɒnd/
• (America) IPA: /ɹɪˈspɑnd/, /ɹəˈspɑnd/

respond (responds, present participle responding; simple past and past participle responded)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To say something in return; to answer; to reply.

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:respond

   to respond to a question or an argument

2. (intransitive) To act in return; to carry out an action or in return to a force or stimulus; to do something in response.
3. (ambitransitive) To correspond with; to suit.
   • 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC ↗:

     For his great deeds respond his speeches great.

4. (transitive) To satisfy; to answer.

   The prisoner was held to respond the judgment of the court.

5. (intransitive) To be liable for payment.

• French: répondre
• German: antworten
• Italian: rispondere
• Portuguese: responder
• Russian: отвеча́ть
• Spanish: responder

• French: répondre
• German: reagieren
• Italian: rispondere
• Portuguese: responder
• Spanish: responder

• French: répondre
• Italian: corrispondere
• Spanish: responder

• French: répondre
• Italian: dare riscontro

respond (plural responds)

1. A response.

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:reply

2. A versicle or short anthem chanted at intervals during the reading of a lection.
3. (architecture) A half-pillar, pilaster, or any corresponding device engaged in a wall to receive the impost of an arch.

• response
• responsible
• responsibleness
• responsibly
• responsibility
• responsive
• responsively
• responsiveness