Rejoinder
[rə-JOIN-dər]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Late Middle English, late 15th century
1.
A reply, especially a sharp or witty one.
2.
(Law, dated) A defendant's answer to the plaintiff's reply or replication.
Examples of Rejoinder in a sentence
"I always think up the perfect rejoinder hours later, long after the chance for a retort is gone."
"The court fell silent, waiting for the defendant's rejoinder."
About Rejoinder
This word developed in Late Middle English by way of the Anglo-Norman French word "rejoindre" ("to reunite something again").
Did you Know?
Do you continually find yourself practicing comebacks hours later? If so, it's time to work on your rejoinder skills. According to the BBC, one of the ways to craft a witty comeback is to work on your listening skills. Listening precisely and actively to conversations — as well as taking advantage of humans' ability to think faster than they speak — can make it easier to quickly form a well-timed, snappy reply the next time you need a rejoinder.
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