# reply

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹɪˈplaɪ/ · frequency rank #3,020

## Definitions
1. To give a written or spoken response, especially to a question, request, accusation or criticism; to answer.
2. To act or gesture in response.
3. To repeat something back; to echo.

## Etymology
From Middle English replyen, replien, borrowed from Old French replier (“to reply”), from the Latin replicō, replicāre (“I fold back”) (in Late or Medieval Latin "to reply, repeat"), from re + plicō (“to fold”); the noun derives from the verb by nominalisation. Doublet of replicate and replica.

## Easily confused with
- **Rey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-rey)
- **rly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-rly)
- **reps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-reps)
- **repo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-repo)
- **retry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-retry)
- **Ripley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reply-vs-ripley)
- **rep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rep-vs-reply)
- **rel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rel-vs-reply)
- **real** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/real-vs-reply)
- **rely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rely-vs-reply)
- **reel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reel-vs-reply)
- **ready** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ready-vs-reply)
- **rally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rally-vs-reply)
- **realm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/realm-vs-reply)
- **relay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relay-vs-reply)
- **repay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repay-vs-reply)
- **repel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/repel-vs-reply)
- **reels** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reels-vs-reply)
- **Reddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reddy-vs-reply)
- **reedy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reedy-vs-reply)

## Common misspellings (8)
`erply`, `relpy`, `replly`, `replyy`, `repply`, `repyl`, `rpely`, `rreply`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/reply