Re*spond"ent (-ent), a. [L. respondens, p. pr. of respondere.] Disposed or expected to respond; answering; according; corresponding.

Wealth respondent to payment and contributions.

Re*spond"ent, n. [Cf. F. répondant.] One who responds. It corresponds in general to defendant. Specifically: (a) (Law) One who answers in certain suits or proceedings, generally those which are not according to the course of the common law, as in equity and admiralty causes, in petitions for partition, and the like; -- distinquished from appellant. (b) One who maintains a thesis in reply, and whose province it is to refute objections, or overthrow arguments; -- distinguished from opponent. I. Watts.

Re*spond"ent (-ent), a. [L. respondens, p. pr. of respondere.] Disposed or expected to respond; answering; according; corresponding.

Wealth respondent to payment and contributions.

Re*spond"ent, n. [Cf. F. répondant.] One who responds. It corresponds in general to defendant. Specifically: (a) (Law) One who answers in certain suits or proceedings, generally those which are not according to the course of the common law, as in equity and admiralty causes, in petitions for partition, and the like; -- distinquished from appellant. (b) One who maintains a thesis in reply, and whose province it is to refute objections, or overthrow arguments; -- distinguished from opponent. I. Watts.

• (law) The person who answers for the defendant in a case before a court. In some legal systems, when one appeals a criminal case, one names the original court as defendant, but the state is the respondent.
  
• The person who responds to a letter sent to them. See also correspondent.
  
• The person who participates in research involving questionnaires. See also Survey