risposta

Risposta is a feminine noun in Italian meaning an answer or reply to a question, statement, or stimulus. It denotes the act of replying as well as the result of that act, i.e., feedback or reaction. The word is used across everyday speech, journalism, law, science, and computing.

Etymology: Risposta derives from Latin responsa, the plural of responsum, through the development of respondere "to answer" into Italian. The corresponding plural is risposte.

Grammar: As a feminine noun, it takes the articles la/una in singular and le/due in plural: la risposta, le risposte. Adjectives can modify it: una risposta pronta, una risposta dettagliata. Common verbs include dare una risposta, fornire una risposta, dare una risposta affermativa o negativa. In specific contexts you may encounter controrisposta, meaning a counterreply, or replica in debates.

Usage: In ordinary conversation, it refers to answers given to questions or statements. In media and politics it can denote an official or formal reply. In cognitive science and computing, 'risposta' describes a system's reaction or the data returned by a server in response to a request (for example una risposta HTTP).

Variants and nuance: "risposta negativa/positiva" indicates the nature of the answer; "risposta corretta" vs "risposta errata" highlights correctness. The term commonly appears in education, customer service, and Q&A formats.