TOP

Definition of reciprocate verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

reciprocate

verb
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪt/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they reciprocate
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪt/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪt/
he / she / it reciprocates
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪts/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪts/
past simple reciprocated
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪd/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪd/
past participle reciprocated
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪd/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪd/
-ing form reciprocating
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪŋ/
 
/rɪˈsɪprəkeɪtɪŋ/
jump to other results
  1. [transitive, intransitive] to behave or feel towards somebody in the same way as they behave or feel towards you
    • reciprocate something Her passion for him was not reciprocated.
    • They wanted to reciprocate the kindness that had been shown to them.
    • He smiled but his smile was not reciprocated.
    • reciprocate something with something He chose to reciprocate the gift with a sample of his own art.
    • reciprocate (with something) I wasn't sure whether to laugh or to reciprocate with a remark of my own.
  2. [intransitive] (specialist) to move backwards and forwards in a straight line
    • a reciprocating action
  3. Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin reciprocat- ‘moved backwards and forwards’, from the verb reciprocare, from reciprocus (based on re- ‘back’ + pro- ‘forward’).
See reciprocate in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee reciprocate in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
trait
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 5000
B2
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day