Answer Definition

ănsər
answered, answers
noun
answers
A spoken or written reply, as to a question.
American Heritage
Something said or written in return to a question, argument, letter, etc.
Webster's New World
A correct reply.
American Heritage
Any act in response or retaliation.
His answer was a well-aimed blow.
Webster's New World
A solution, as to a problem.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
verb
answered, answers
To speak or write as a return, as to a question.
American Heritage
To reply in words, by an action, etc.
Webster's New World
To reply to in words, by an action, etc.
Webster's New World
To act in response.
Their team scored, but our team answered with a quick goal.
American Heritage
To respond in kind (with)
The team answered with a touchdown of their own.
Webster's New World
idiom
answer back
  • to reply forcefully, rudely, or impertinently; talk back
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Answer

Noun

Singular:
answer
Plural:
answers

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Answer

Origin of Answer

  • From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“answer”), equivalent to and- +‎ swear. Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also Old English andwyrde (“answer”) (cognate to Dutch antwoord, German Antwort), Old English andcwiss (“reply”), German Schwur (“oath, vow”).

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English answeren, andswaren, from Old English andswarian (“to answer, respond, give an answer”), from Proto-Germanic *and- (“back, in return”) + *swarō (“oath”), from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to speak, swear”), equivalent to and- +‎ swear. Cognate with Old Frisian ondswera (“to answer”), Danish ansvare (“to answer, account for”), Swedish ansvara (“to answer, account for”), Icelandic andsvara (“to answer, reply”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English answere from Old English andswaru swer- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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