repartee

n.

1. A swift, witty reply.
2. Conversation marked by the exchange of witty retorts. See synonyms at wit¹.

[French repartie, from feminine past participle of repartir, to retort, from Old French, to retort, to depart again : re-, re- + partir, to depart (from Latin partīre, to divide , from pars, part-, part).]

(rep-uhr-TEE)

noun
1. A quick, witty reply or conversation.
2. Cleverness in making witty conversation.

Etymology
From repartie (retort), from repartir (to retort), from re- + partir (to part or divide), from Latin partire (to divide), from pars (part)

Usage
"Referring to Schwarzenegger's comment at last summer's Republican National Convention that he was inspired to get into politics by Nixon, Angelides offered the repartee: 'Funny thing, Governor. So was I.'" — Ezra Klein; 5 Reasons Phil Angelides Is the Anti-Arnold; LA Weekly (Los Angeles, California); Jan 6-12, 2006.

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noun

A spirited, incisive reply: comeback, retort, riposte. See ask/answer.

n

Definition: pleasant conversation
Antonyms: argument, disagreement, fight

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repartee [rep‐ar‐tee], a rapid and witty response in conversation, especially one that turns an insult back on its originator; or a succession of such replies in a dialogue between characters (usually in a drama). The term may also be applied to a person's talent for making witty replies.

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

Prudent insult in retort. Practiced by gentlemen with a constitutional aversion to violence, but a strong disposition to offend. In a war of words, the tactics of the North American Indian.

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IN BRIEF: A ready, witty, or apt reply.

A repartee is what a person thinks of after he becomes a departee. — Dan Bennett

Dansk (Danish)
n. - slagfærdighed, vittigt svar

Nederlands (Dutch)
gevat antwoord, het geven van gevatte antwoorden

Français (French)
n. - répartie, conversation à bâtons rompus, (avoir) de l'esprit, (avoir) la réplique facile

Deutsch (German)
n. - Schlagfertigkeit, schlagfertige Antwort

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - εύστοχη απάντηση, πνευματώδης διάλογος

Italiano (Italian)
risposta spiritosa, pronta replica

Português (Portuguese)
n. - réplica (f)

Русский (Russian)
остроумный ответ

Español (Spanish)
n. - réplica, rápida sucesión de réplicas o salidas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - snabb replik, slagfärdighet

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
机敏的应答, 机敏应答的才能

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 機敏的應答, 機敏應答的才能

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 재치 있는 즉답, 즉답하는 재간

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 当意即妙の応答, 巧妙な即答の才

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) جواب سريع, سرعه البديهه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תשובה שנונה, מענה מהיר, צחצוח-מלים מבדח‬

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