- Comment
- Love
Word of the Day : May 26, 2018
riposte \rih-POHST\ noun
Definition
1 : a fencer's quick return thrust following a parry
2 : a retaliatory verbal sally : retort
3 : a retaliatory maneuver or measure
Did You Know?
In the sport of fencing, a riposte is a counterattack made after successfully fending off one's opponent. English speakers borrowed the name for this particular maneuver from French in the early 1700s, but the French had simply modified Italian risposta, which literally means "answer." Ultimately these words come from the Latin verb respondēre, meaning "to respond." It seems fitting that riposte has since come full circle to now refer to a quick and witty response performed as a form of retaliation.
Build your vocabulary! Get Word of the Day in your inbox every day.
Test Your Vocabulary
May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz
Which is a synonym of raillery?
indiscretion
jesting
aberration
debating
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Aired May 26, 2018
All Merriam-Webster content is available at www.merriam-webster.com
- Recommended Recommended
- History & In Progress History
- Browse Library
- Most Popular Library
Get Personalized Recommendations
Let us help you figure out what to learn! By taking a short interview you’ll be able to specify your learning interests and goals, so we can recommend the perfect courses and lessons to try next.
Start InterviewYou don't have any lessons in your history.
Just find something that looks interesting and start learning!