retort

UK: /rɪˈtɔː^rt/ US: /rɪˈtɔrt/ ,(ri tôrt′)

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

re•tort¹ /rɪˈtɔrt/   v. 

1. to reply in a sharp way: [~ + that clause]
   retorted that he would have nothing to do with her.
   [no object]
   quick to retort.

n. [countable]

2. a sharp or clever reply:
   "You're no better,'' was his angry retort.

See -tort-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•tort¹  (ri tôrt′), v.t. 

1. to reply to, usually in a sharp or retaliatory way;
   reply in kind to.
2. to return (an accusation, epithet, etc.) upon the person uttering it.
3. to answer (an argument or the like) by another to the contrary.

n. 

4. a severe, incisive, or witty reply, esp. one that counters a first speaker's statement, argument, etc.
5. the act of retorting.

• Latin retortus (past participle of retorquēre to bend back), equivalent. to re- re- + torqu(ēre) to twist, bend + -tus past participle suffix, with -qut- -t-
• 1590–1600

re•tort′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. retaliate.
• 4. riposte, rejoinder, response. See answer. 

re•tort²  (ri tôrt′), n. 

1. Chemistry
   • a vessel, commonly a glass bulb with a long neck bent downward, used for distilling or decomposing substances by heat.
   • Chemistry a refractory chamber, generally cylindrically shaped, within which some substance, as ore or coal, is heated as part of a smelting or manufacturing process.
   • Chemistry an airtight, usually cylindrical vessel of fire clay or iron, used in the destructive distillation chiefly of coal and wood in the manufacture of illuminating gas.
2. a sterilizer for food cans.

v.t. 

3. to sterilize food after it is sealed in a container, by steam or other heating methods.
4. Chemistry to subject (shale, ore, etc.) to heat and possibly reduced pressure in order to produce fuel oil, metal, etc.

• Medieval Latin retorta, noun, nominal use of feminine of Latin retortus; see retort¹
• Middle French retorte
• 1550–60

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

retort / rɪˈtɔːt/ verb

1. (when tr, takes a clause as object) to utter (something) quickly, sharply, wittily, or angrily, in response
2. to use (an argument) against its originator; turn the tables by saying (something)

noun

1. a sharp, angry, or witty reply
2. an argument used against its originator

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin retorquēre to twist back, from re- + torquēre to twist, wrench

reˈtorter noun

retort / rɪˈtɔːt/ noun

1. a glass vessel with a round bulb and long tapering neck that is bent down, used esp in a laboratory for distillation
2. a vessel in which large quantities of material may be heated, esp one used for heating ores in the production of metals or heating coal to produce gas

verb

1. (transitive) to heat in a retort

Etymology: 17th Century: from French retorte, from Medieval Latin retorta, from Latin retorquēre to twist back; see retort¹