Meaning

noun the act of making copies

noun (genetics) the process whereby DNA makes a copy of itself before cell division

noun a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

originInherited from Middle English replicacioun, replicacion, from Anglo-Norman replicacioun and Old French replicacion (“reply, answer”), from Latin replicātiō, replicātiōnem. By surface analysis, replicate + -(at)ion.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0