comeback

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkʌmbæk/^[1]

Etymology

It is from the verbal phrase come back (see come, back).^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A verbal retort: 1889, also written come-back;^[2] an act of retaliation or a critical reaction is late 19th-century slang in the SOED.^[4]

Semantic evolution

A recovery or return to a former position after retirement or loss is attested from 1908, in American English.^[2] Merriam-Webster dates the first known use to 1899.^[3] In Australia a comeback is a sheep three-quarters merino.^[4]

Timeline

• 1889 – a retort.^[2]
• 1899 – first known use (MWU).^[3]
• 1908 – a return to success.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A return to a former position of success or popularity.
2. The act of making up a deficit in a game or contest.
3. A quick or witty reply; a retort.

Related words

• come
• back
• return

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press