respond

Where does the word "respond" come from? It comes from Latin spondere, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Respond’s story begins in Latin: spondere meant “to promise, to pledge.” To promise, to pledge, combined with re- (back). Within Latin, it grew into respondere by ancient. To promise back, to answer, from re- and spondere. From there it passed into Old French as respondre by medieval. Carried into French for answering a question or request. It reached English by 1300s as respond. Settled as the English word for answering or reacting to something. Today, respond means to say something in reply, or to react to something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient spondere "to promise, to pledge", to promise, to pledge, combined with re- (back).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient respondere "to promise back, to answer", to promise back, to answer, from re- and spondere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval respondre "to answer a question or request", carried into French for answering a question or request.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s respond "to answer or react to something", settled as the English word for answering or reacting to something.