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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

answer

/ˈɑːn.sə/
A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.

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    • derived
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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply to a question”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also Old English andwyrde (“answer”) (cognate to Dutch antwoord, German Antwort), Old English andcwiss (“reply”), German Schwur (“oath, vow”).

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English answeren, andswaren, answerien, from Old English andswarian, answarien (“to answer, to respond, to deny an allegation under oath”), from Proto-Germanic *andaswarōną, *andaswarjaną (“to answer, to give a response, to rebut”), from *anda- (“against”) + *swarjaną, *swarōną (“to swear an oath, to answer, to respond”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“face, forehead”) and *swer- (“to swear”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondswera (“to answer”), Danish ansvare (“to answer, account for”), Swedish ansvara (“to answer, account for”), Icelandic andsvara (“to answer, reply”).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishanswere
      • inheritedOld Englishandswaru
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*andaswaru
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*andaswarō
            • partProto-Germanic*anda-
              • derivedProto-Indo-European*h₂énts
                • partProto-Indo-European*-s
            • partProto-Germanic*swarō
    • rootProto-Indo-European*h₂en- “on, onto”
    • rootProto-Indo-European*h₂ent- “face, forehead; front”
    • rootProto-Indo-European*swer- “to swear”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishansweren
      • inheritedOld Englishandswerian
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*andaswarjaną
          • partProto-Germanic*swarjaną “to speak, swear”

    Related: Old Frisian ondser, Old Saxon andswōr, Swedish ansvar, Icelandic andsvar, Dutch antwoord, German Antwort, Old English andcwiss, German Schwur, Old Frisian ondswera, Danish ansvare, Swedish ansvara, Icelandic andsvara

    Meanings

    noun
    1. A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.
    2. A solution to a problem.
    3. Someone or something that fills a similar role or position.
    4. A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints.
    verb
    1. To make a reply or response to.
    2. To speak in defence against; to reply to in defence.
    3. To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment.
    4. To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily.
    5. To be accountable or responsible; to make amends.
    6. To file a document in response to a complaint.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: answer