reciprocate

[ ri-sip-ruh-keyt ]
See synonyms for: reciprocatereciprocatedreciprocatesreciprocating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),re·cip·ro·cat·ed, re·cip·ro·cat·ing.
  1. to give, feel, etc., in return.

  2. to give and receive reciprocally; interchange: to reciprocate favors.

  1. to cause to move alternately backward and forward.

verb (used without object),re·cip·ro·cat·ed, re·cip·ro·cat·ing.
  1. to make a return, as for something given.

  2. to make interchange.

  1. to be correspondent.

  2. to move alternately backward and forward.

Origin of reciprocate

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin reciprocātus, past participle of reciprocāre “to move back and forth”; see -ate1

Other words for reciprocate

Other words from reciprocate

  • re·cip·ro·ca·tive, re·cip·ro·ca·to·ry [ri-sip-ruh-kuh-tawr-ee], /rɪˈsɪp rə kəˌtɔr i/, adjective
  • re·cip·ro·ca·tor, noun
  • non·re·cip·ro·cat·ing, adjective
  • un·re·cip·ro·cat·ing, adjective

Words Nearby reciprocate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use reciprocate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reciprocate

reciprocate

/ (rɪˈsɪprəˌkeɪt) /


verb
  1. to give or feel in return

  2. to move or cause to move backwards and forwards

  1. (intr) to be correspondent or equivalent

Origin of reciprocate

1
C17: from Latin reciprocāre, from reciprocus reciprocal

Derived forms of reciprocate

  • reciprocation, noun
  • reciprocative or reciprocatory, adjective
  • reciprocator, noun

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