callback

or call-back

[ kawl-bak ]

noun

1. an act of calling back.
2. a summoning of workers back to work after a layoff.
3. a summoning of an employee back to work after working hours, as for emergency business.
4. a request to a performer who has auditioned for a role, booking, or the like to return for another audition.
5. recall ( def 12 ).
6. a return telephone call.
7. an allusion to a joke made earlier in the same comedy act or show:

   The kitten yelling “Quiet!” at the end was a callback to earlier in the episode when the two normally silent brothers shouted it.

adjective

1. of or relating to a return telephone call:

   Please leave a callback number.

verb phrase

1. to telephone (a person) who has called earlier:

   Our staff will call you back within 24 hours.

2. to summon or bring back; recall:

   He called back the messenger.

   The actor was called back for a second audition.

3. to revoke; retract:

   to call back an accusation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of callback¹

First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase call back

Example Sentences

The film didn’t even return key original cast members like Hunt or Bill Paxton, though there are callbacks to the original “Twister.”

From Los Angeles Times

At 63, Griffin’s humor has never been more finely tuned; her timing is sharp, her anecdotes are fresh, and her callbacks are brilliant.

From Salon

One fan cheekily wrote “this is gonna ruin the tour,” a callback to Timberlake’s alleged remarks to law enforcement when he was arrested in June.

From Los Angeles Times

At the end of callbacks, after mixing and matching actors contending for various jobs, Murphy turned and said, “Well, it’s obviously Josh,” so they called him back in before he could leave the audition.

From Los Angeles Times

The cheek only came at the end of Swift's endorsement, with a pithy "childless cat lady" callback.

From Salon