Where does “respond” come from?

Respond derives from Latin respondēre, composed of the prefix re- and a root from Proto-Indo-European wer-, meaning to speak or turn.

respond (English): To say something in return; to answer; to reply;...

Definitions

  1. To say something in return; to answer; to reply;...

Ancestry of “respond”, step by step

respond traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French respondre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchrespondreto reply; to respond
2Idorespondoanswer
3Latinrespondeōto reply, answer, respond
4Latinrĕ-back, backwards
5Latinprōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out
6Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
7Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via Latin respondeo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinrespondeoI reply, answer, respond; I measure up; I am...
2Latinre-back, backwards; again; prefix added to various...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwret-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “respond”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →Every word from Proto-Indo-European per- →Every word from Latin rĕ- →