What Is The Meaning Of The Abbreviation, 'RSVP'?

RSVP is an initialism for répondez s'il vous plait, which is a French phrase meaning “please respond” (or, literally, “respond if you please”).

When is RSVP Used?
RSVP is use in written invitations to request that the invitee reply, letting the host know whether or not they will be attending the event. This is usually to give the host an idea of how many people will be coming, and how much food or seating to arrange.

Not replying to an RSVP invitation is genrally considered to be quite rude, but it’s not usually intended as a slight. Some people seem to think that you only have to respond to an RSVP invitation if you’re actually going to attend the event – really, you’re supposed to respond regardless!

Why Do We Use RSVP in English?
In the 18th century, it became fashionable for the English high society to employ French rules of etiquette – using RSVP on invitations was one of these rules!