/ rɪˈspɒndənt; NAmE -ˈspɑːnd-/ noun
1.
a person who answers questions, especially in a survey :
60% of the respondents agreed with the suggestion
2.
( law ) a person who is accused of sth
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WORD ORIGIN
early 16th cent. (in sense 1): from Latin respondent- answering, offering in return, from the verb respondere , from re- again + spondere to pledge.