reply

Etymology

From Middle English replyen, replien, borrowed from Old French replier (“to reply”), from the Latin replicō, replicāre (“I fold back”) (in Late or Medieval Latin "to reply, repeat"), from re + plicō (“I fold”); the noun derives from the verb by nominalisation. Doublet of replicate and replica.

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To give a written or spoken response, especially to a question, request, accusation or criticism; to answer.
   (intransitive) Please reply to my letter.
   (transitive) "Sorry I'm late," replied the student.
   (transitive) He replied that he was not sure.
2. (intransitive) To act or gesture in response.
   Joanne replied to Pete's insult with a slap to his face.
   It is a sound to be dreaded until you ascertain that it is being made by friendly forces; even then, your welcome to it must be tempered with some caution, because gunfire usually leads to replying gunfire[…] 1988, Emmanuel Doe Ziorklui, Ghana: Nkrumah to Rawlings
3. (intransitive) To repeat something back; to echo.

noun

1. A written or spoken response; part of a conversation.
2. Something given in reply.
3. A counterattack.
4. (music) The answer of a figure.
5. (US, law) A document written by a party specifically replying to a responsive declaration and in some cases an answer.