respondence

[ ri-spon-duhns ]

noun

1. the act of responding; response:

   respondence to a stimulus.

Word History and Origins

Origin of respondence¹

From obsolete French, dating back to 1580–90; respond, -ence

Example Sentences

In a note to his first Dissertation he tells us “the following stanza of Spenser has been much admired:”— The joyous birds shrouded in cheareful shade, Their notes unto the voice attempred sweet; Th’ angelical soft trembling voices made To th’ instruments divine respondence meet; The silver-sounding instruments did meet With the base murmurs of the waters-fall; The waters-fall with difference discreet, Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call; The gentle-warbling wind low answered to all.*

From Project Gutenberg

“Th’ angelical soft trembling voices made To th’ instruments divine respondence meet,” the “softness trembling” with the verse; had our critic forgotten Strada’s famed contest of the Nightingale with the Lyre of the poet, when, her “trembling voice” overcome in the rivalry, she fell on the strings to die?

From Project Gutenberg

Last week some of the cor respondence which occurred during the transaction was made known.

From Time Magazine Archive

Attorney General Sir William Allen Jowitt had cor respondence to show that the air minister was chafing to start by late September, be back by Oct.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Is dat all de respondence my Delijah got faw her Saampson?"

From Project Gutenberg