requital

American  

[ri-kwahyt-l] / rɪˈkwaɪt l /

noun

1. the act of requiting.

2. a return or reward for service, kindness, etc.

3. a retaliation for a wrong, injury, etc.

4. something given or done as repayment, reward, punishment, etc., in return.

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requital British  

/ rɪˈkwaɪtəl /

noun

1. the act or an instance of requiting

2. a return or compensation for a good or bad action

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Other Word Forms

• nonrequital
  noun
• unrequital
  noun

Etymology

Origin of requital

First recorded in 1570–80; requite + -al ²

Explanation

When you pay someone back or return their favor, that's requital. Your friend might insist that no requital is necessary for the cookies she gives you, but you may want to bake cupcakes for her tomorrow anyway. Use requital for the sincere return of a favor, like going to your brother's band concert after he's dutifully attended your poetry reading. You can also use it for retribution for a wrong that's been done: "As requital for the Silly String attack, she put a whoopie cushion on her classmate's chair." Requital comes from requite, which is based in the Middle English root quite, "clear or pay up."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

requital

This nonsense gradually infected everything and the consequence was an underestimate which subsequently bought the bitterest requital.

From Time Magazine Archive

Were the story true, how vast was the requital!

From Dryden's Works Vol. 3 (of 18) Sir Martin Mar-All; The Tempest; An Evening's Love; Tyrannic Love by John Dryden

Maria then began to consider what adequate requital she could possibly make me.

From Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 Volume I. - Proceedings of the First Expedition, 1826-1830 by Robert Fitzroy

Helen, I swear it, by every hope that now thrills within me—" "It would be," resumed she, tremulously, "an ungenerous requital for this, were I to practise any deception on you.

From The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever

Both were impetuous by nature, and rash in their actions, and both came upon the field longing for vengeance in requital of wrongs which each supposed he had received at the hands of the other.

From The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2 or, The Recluse of Jamestown; An historical romance of the Old Dominion by William A. (Alexander) Caruthers