What does repartee mean?
Word: Repartee
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Repartee means quick, clever and amusing replies in a conversation.
Synonyms: wit
How do you spell repartee?
Syllables: rep - ar - tee
Tricky part: English took this word from French, so the ending looks odd. It closes on two e's, not on a y or an ie.
Watch out for: reparty, repartie, repartey
Memory tip: Two people are trading jokes, so give them an e each at the end.
Repartee in a sentence
Example 1: The two cousins kept the whole table laughing with their repartee.
Example 2: Good repartee needs a quick mind and a friendly smile.
Example 3: The radio host is famous for her easy repartee with callers.
Fun Fact
Folk tales of Birbal at the court of Emperor Akbar are full of repartee, with the minister turning a tricky question into a joke in a single line.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word repartee as used in the sentence:
The quizmaster's playful repartee with the teams kept the hall in good spirits.
a) banter
b) silence
c) rumour
d) lecture
Show answer
a) banter. Friendly jokes going back and forth are banter.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
r_p_rtee
a) e, e
b) a, a
c) e, a
d) i, a
Show answer
c) e, a. The word starts like reply and carries an a before the rt.
Word Cookie
One letter in this word is not needed. Find it:
reppartee
a) t
b) e
c) p
d) r
Show answer
c) p. A single p follows the opening two letters.
Spell-o-Spell
Find the one correctly spelt word and choose what it means.
1. humerous 2. commedian 3. anecdoat 4. repartee
a) a person who tells jokes on stage
b) a short, interesting story about a real event
c) fast, funny answers traded in talk
d) funny and making people laugh
Show answer
c) fast, funny answers traded in talk. With humorous, anecdote and comedian each carrying a slip, the page word is the only safe one.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which guest at a dinner shows a gift for repartee?
a) one who sits quietly and smiles at everyone present
b) one who gives a long speech read from careful notes
c) one who leaves early to catch the last train home
d) one who answers each joke at once with a funnier one
Show answer
d) one who answers each joke at once with a funnier one
2. Where would you be least likely to hear repartee?
a) in a silent exam hall
b) at a lively family lunch
c) among friends at a reunion
d) on a comedy chat show
Show answer
a) in a silent exam hall
