It's the Word of the Day podcast for January 29th.
Today's word is reciprocate, spelled R-E-C-I-P-R-O-C-A-T-E.
Reciprocate is a verb.
To reciprocate is to do something for or to someone who has done something similar for or to you.
Reciprocate can also mean to have a feeling for someone who has the same feeling for you.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the letter carrier by Francesca Genone,
translated by Eletropoletto.
She entered the post office and greeted Tommaso, who reciprocated with a smile,
then Carmine, who stroked his beard and shot her the usual skeptical glance.
Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Share and share alike.
Such is the essence of the verb reciprocate, which implies a mutual or equivalent exchange,
or a paying back of what one has received.
Reciprocate traces back to the Latin verb ricciprocare, meaning to move back and forth,
which in turn comes from the adjective ricciprocus, meaning returning the same way or alternating.
Indeed, one of the meanings of reciprocate is to move forward and backward alternately,
as in a reciprocating saw.
Most often, however, reciprocate is used for the action of returning something in kind or degree,
whether that be a gift, favor, or feeling.