[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

respondent \respond"ent\ -ent, a. l. respondens, p. pr. of
   respondere.
   disposed or expected to respond; answering; according;
   corresponding.
   1913 webster

         wealth respondent to payment and contributions.
                                                  --bacon.
   1913 webster

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

respondent \respond"ent\, n. cf. f. r'epondant.
   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.
       1913 webster

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

respondent
     adj : replying; "an answering glance"; "an answering smile" syn:
           answering
     n 1: the codefendant especially in a divorce proceeding who is
          accused of adultery with the corespondent
     2: someone who responds syn: responder, answerer
see also:
answering responder answerer 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

31 moby thesaurus words for "respondent":
   accused, answerer, answering, antiphonal, confutative,
   correspondent, defendant, echoic, echoing, libelee, prisoner,
   reacting, reactionary, reactive, reechoing, reflex, reflexive,
   refluent, refutative, rejoining, replier, replying, responder,
   responding, responser, responsive, retroactionary, retroactive,
   returning, revulsive, suspect

[5] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

respondent, practice. the party who makes an answer to a bill or other 
proceeding in chancery. in the civil law, this term signifies one who 
answers or is security for another; a fidejussor. dig. 2, 8, 6. 

Respondent >> R Words
Respondent, definition of term: Respondent
respondent_pag1.html