correspondent English · revision 15429

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1432–50|origins=la respondeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌkɒɹ.ɪˈspɒn.dənt/ ''(UK)''; /ˌkɔɹ.ɪˈspɑn.dənt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|correspondant]] or directly [[la-med|correspondēns]], the present participle of [[m|la-med|correspondeō|t=to correspond, harmonize]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|la|com-|t=together]] and [[m|la|respondeō|t=to answer]] (see [[respond]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As an adjective, answering to or agreeing with something: the early 15th century in Etymonline, 1432–50 in the OED,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) a sense since taken over by [[corresponding]].^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun, one who communicates by letter, is from the 1620s (about 1630 in Merriam-Webster).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The newspaper sense, one who sends regular reports from a distant place, is from 1711.^(Etymonline) A firm with regular business dealings with another at a distance is a later commercial use.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1432–50 – agreeing, matching (adjective).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1620s – a letter writer.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1711 – a newspaper correspondent.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person employed by a newspaper or broadcaster to report from abroad or on a special subject.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who writes letters to another.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or firm with regular business dealings with another, especially at a distance.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(archaic)'' Corresponding.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[correspondently]]

+ * [[noncorrespondent]]

+ * [[foreign correspondent]]

+ * [[war correspondent]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[correspond]]

+ * [[correspondence]]

+ * [[respond]]

+ * [[co-respondent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}