respondent

 
Pronunciation: /rɪˈspɒnd(ə)nt/

noun

  • 1 Law a party against whom a petition is filed, especially one in an appeal or a divorce case.
  • 2a person who replies to something, especially one supplying information for a questionnaire or responding to an advertisement: out of the many thousands of respondents to our questionnaire, under a fifth were full-time housewives

adjective

[attributive]
  • 1 Law in the position of a party defending against a petition: the respondent defendant
  • 2replying to something: the respondent firms in the survey
  • 3 Psychology involving or denoting a response, especially a conditioned reflex, to a specific stimulus.

Origin:

early 16th century (in respondent (sense 2 of the noun)): from Latin respondent- 'answering, offering in return', from the verb respondere (see respond)