Riposte

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈpəʊst/

Definitions

1. An immediate verbal comeback or sharp reply ; a swift offensive move in fencing made as a response to an opponent's attack
2. A rapid answer or rejoinder in conversation ; a prompt counter-thrust in fencing following a parry
3. A clever or sharp retort spoken quickly ; a fencing technique where a counterattack is delivered right after blocking an attack

Etymology: In fencing, a riposte is the counterattack a fencer makes immediately after parrying an opponent's thrust, and the word has come to mean any swift, cutting retort in conversation. It arrived in English from French "riposte," which in turn was borrowed from Italian "risposta," the answer to a question. That Italian noun comes from "rispondere," meaning "to respond," so the word's core idea is simply a reply, with the sword-play sense a specialised extension of it. The journey through French is the key to how the word reached English. French took the Italian term and kept its sense of a return blow, which is why the word feels so closely tied to combat even though its root is ordinary conversation. English speakers then borrowed it and applied it both literally to fencing and figuratively to verbal exchanges, where the quickness of the counter is what matters.

Synonyms: retort, rejoinder

Antonyms: question, inquiry