reply

/ri-ˈplī/

Middle English replien "to fold back, oppose, repeat, respond verbally, deny, answer a legal charge," borrowed from Anglo-French replier, reploier "to bend back, respond, answer, make a replication," in part continuing continental Old & Middle French repleier, reploier "to refold (something) unfolded," replié "something folded back" (from re- re-plier "to fold, bend"), in part going back to Latin replicāre "to turn back on itself, bend back, unroll (a papyrus book), go over (a thought, topic) repeatedly, make a replication" (Late Latin also "to restore, repeat, reply")

verb

  1. to respond in words or writing

  2. echo, resound

  3. to make a legal replication

noun

  1. something said, written, or done in answer or response

  2. replication

answer response reply rejoinder retort mean something spoken, written, or done in return. answer implies the satisfying of a question, demand, call, or need. response may imply a quick or spontaneous reaction to a person or thing that serves as a stimulus.

adjective

  1. costing nothing to mail because the postage has been paid already