Responsor
/rɪˈspɒn.sər/noun
A person who responds, especially one who answers in a call-and-response or liturgical setting.
Did you know?Responsor comes from the same Latin root as *response* and *responsibility*—the idea is not just talking back, but answering with a binding verbal duty.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spend-
“to make a libation, perform a rite, or pledge solemnly”
Latin
Latin
spondēre
“to pledge, promise formally, or give one’s word”
Latin
Latin
respondēre
“to answer, reply, or make a formal counter-promise”
Late Latin
Latin
responsor
“one who answers or replies”
Middle English
English
responsor
“a respondent or answerer, especially in church liturgy”
Modern English
English
responsor
“a person who responds”
Explore more surprising origins