response

UK: /rɪˈspɒns/ US: /rɪˈspɑns/ ,(ri spons′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•sponse /rɪˈspɑns/   n. 

1. an answer;
   reply:
   [countable] What is your response to these questions, Senator?
2. an action done as an answer to another action:
   [countable] a friendly response to his greeting.
   [uncountable] She nodded in response to his greeting.
3. Biology behavior of a living thing due to a stimulus:
   [countable] the chimp's response to seeing the blue light flash.

See -spond-. Related Words

response is a noun, responsible is an adjective, responsibility is a noun:
What was your response to the question? She is a responsible driver. The new job has more responsibilities.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•sponse  (ri spons′), n. 

1. an answer or reply, as in words or in some action.
2. [Biol.] any behavior of a living organism that results from an external or internal stimulus.
3. Religion [Eccles.]
   • a verse, sentence, phrase, or word said or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant. Cf. versicle (def. 2).
   • responsory.
4. Games [Bridge.] a bid based on an evaluation of one's hand relative to the previous bid of one's partner.

• Latin, as above
• Middle French respons
• Latin respōnsum, noun, nominal use of neuter past participle of respondēre to respond; replacing Middle English respounse
• 1250–1300

re•sponse′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. rejoinder. See answer. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

response / rɪˈspɒns/ noun

1. the act of responding; reply or reaction
2. a bid replying to a partner's bid or double
3. (usually plural) a short sentence or phrase recited or sung by the choir or congregation in reply to the officiant at a church service
4. the ratio of the output to the input level, at a particular frequency, of a transmission line or electrical device
5. any pattern of glandular, muscular, or electrical reactions that arises from stimulation of the nervous system

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin rēsponsum answer, from rēspondēre to respond

reˈsponseless adjective