ripost means A thrust given in return after parrying a lunge. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.
Why this word is great
RIPOSTE — [Noun] A quick and usually witty response to a taunt or a thrust given in return after parrying a lunge. From French riposte, taken from Italian risposta, a derivative of the verb rispondere ("to respond"). Unlike "rejoinder" (a sharp but leisurely reply) or "retort" (a hasty, often heated comeback), a riposte is both swift and calculated—the verbal equivalent of a fencer’s counter-thrust. It is the flick of a wrist that sends a blade singing back toward its opponent, the dry quip that silences a dinner table, or the perfectly timed pause before delivering the line that turns the room. A riposte is not just a reply; it is the art of turning an attack into an opportunity.
noun
- A thrust given in return after parrying a lunge.
- A quick and usually witty response to a taunt.
- An answer or reply, rapidly uttered, in response to a question or problem.“The French government was always apprehensive to the German Government’s ripost to an air offensive.”