repartee

noun

rep·​ar·​tee ˌre-pər-ˈtē 

-ˌpär-,

-ˈtā 

1

a

: a quick and witty reply

b

: a succession or interchange of clever retorts : amusing and usually light sparring with words

2

: adroitness and cleverness in reply : skill in repartee

Did you know?

Dorothy Parker was known for her repartee. Upon hearing that former president Calvin Coolidge had died, the poet, short-story writer, screenwriter, and critic—famous for her acerbic wit—replied, “How can they tell?” The taciturn Coolidge, aka “Silent Cal,” obviously didn’t have a reputation for being the life of the party, but he could be counted on for the occasional bon mot, as when a Washington, D.C., hostess told him, “You must talk to me, Mr. President. I made a bet today that I could get more than two words out of you,” and he replied, “You lose.” Repartee, our word for a quick, sharp reply (and for skill with such replies) comes from the French repartie, of the same meaning. Repartie itself is formed from the French verb repartir, meaning “to retort.”

Synonyms

• comeback
• retort
• riposte

Choose the Right Synonym for repartee

wit, humor, irony, sarcasm, satire, repartee mean a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement.

wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

Examples of repartee in a Sentence

The two comedians engaged in witty repartee.

that repartee to the reporter's question drew laughs from the bystanders

Recent Examples on the Web

The resulting series has a lot of fun with its premise, boosted even further by the affectionate repartee between stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024

The pretrial hearing Friday, in which Paxton was present but quiet, was animated with repartee between Dan Cogdell, Paxton's defense attorney, and state special prosecutor Brian Wice, a Houston criminal defense attorney. —Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Feb. 2024

Charton is disarming and funny, and the two are clearly enamored with each other, falling into natural repartee about their kids and each other. —Rachel Handler, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024

Crockett has amassed growing recognition by introducing the art of the masterful clapback to a Democratic Party that hasn’t always been known for its quick repartee. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French repartie, from repartir to retort, from Middle French, from re- + partir to divide — more at part

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

repartee

noun

rep·​ar·​tee ˌrep-ər-ˈtē  -ˌär- 

-ˈtā

1

: a clever witty reply

2

: skill in making clever replies