'answerer' originates from Old English, specifically the words 'andswaru' (noun) and 'andswarian' (verb), where 'andswaru' meant 'a reply' and the verb meant 'to give a reply'; the agentive suffix '-er' (Old English '-ere') was added to form 'answerer'.

'answer' developed from Old English 'andswaru'/'andswarian' into Middle English forms such as 'answeren' and 'answere', and the agentive form 'answerer' later arose in English to denote 'one who answers'; 'answerers' is simply the modern plural.

Initially it referred to 'a reply' or 'the act of replying'; with the agentive suffix it came to mean 'one who gives a reply', and the modern plural 'answerers' means 'people who reply or respond'.