Other forms: responses
A response is an answer, or a reaction to something. A quick response, in response to, emergency response.
It covers a reply and a reaction, which is why response time can mean how fast somebody answers or how fast a system reacts. In survey work, the response rate decides whether the results mean anything. Note respond, from the Latin for promising in return.
1nounresponseAn answer, or a reaction to something.
“I emailed the company three times but got no response.”
response is an answer.
Latin responsum comes from respondere, to answer — re plus spondere, to promise. Sponsor and spouse come from the same promising.
Old French
respuns
Middle English
respounse
English, today
response
Built from
From Middle English respounse, from Old French respuns. From Middle English respounse, respons, from Old French respons, respuns, responce, 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”). a doublet of responsum.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA