answered
UK[ˈɑːnsəd]US[ˈænsərd]
v
Past tense and past participle of 'answer'. To have said, written, or done something as a reaction to a question, request, or situation.
v
To have been suitable for a particular purpose or need.
v
To have opened the door when someone knocked or rang.
Morpheme Breakdown
answer
ed
answer
ed
Etymology
The word 'answered' is the regular past tense form of the verb 'answer'. Its core, 'answer', originates from Old English 'andswaru', a compound noun meaning 'a reply' or 'a counter-statement', itself derived from 'and-' (against, back) and '-swaru' (affirmation, oath). This literal sense of "swearing back" or "speaking against" a question or accusation evolved into the general concept of a reply. The addition of the '-ed' suffix follows the standard Germanic pattern for forming the past tense of weak verbs, a pattern so productive in English that it is the default rule for new verbs. Thus, 'answered' represents the seamless combination of an ancient root concerning verbal response with a fundamental grammatical marker of time.
Analysis
Structure: answer + ed
answer: From Old English 'andswaru', meaning a reply or a rebuttal. It functions as the core verb root.
ed: From Old English '-ede', '-ode', '-ade', a suffix used to form the past tense and past participle of weak (regular) verbs.
Examples
She answered the question correctly.
This tool answered our need for a quick fix.
I knocked on the door, but nobody answered.