receptacle

noun re·cep·ta·cle \ ri-ˈsep-ti-kəl \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of receptacle

1 : one that receives and contains something : container

[New Latin receptaculum, from Latin]

a : the end of the flower stalk upon which the floral organs are borne

b : a structure or tissue (as of a fungus or fern) bearing spores or sporangia

3 : a mounted female electrical fitting that contains the live parts of the circuit

See receptacle defined for English-language learners

See receptacle defined for kids

Examples of receptacle in a Sentence

She used the box as a receptacle for her jewelry.
place all wrappers in the trash receptacles at the entrances of the theater

Recent Examples of receptacle from the Web

At the end of the day, needles recovered by the workers go into large receptacles.

— devin kelly, Anchorage Daily News, "In Anchorage spring cleanups, containers for used needles become standard equipment," 13 Apr. 2018
Washing them upwards of 30 times a day, his hands are the only trustworthy receptacle for carrying clean laundry.

— krista stevens, Longreads, "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Washing the Pillow Cases Every Day," 13 Apr. 2018
The housing for the treats, within the body, was either a glass bottle or a cardboard receptacle.

— brenda yenke, cleveland.com, "Sharing the rites of our heritage: Yenke Peddler antiques," 29 Jan. 2018
Mcneill has found joy in tending to his beloved yard again and using power tools to build a wood trash bin receptacle.

— meredith cohn, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore police officer spends four years recovering from gunshots in hope of returning to duty," 5 Apr. 2018
Once each receptacle is filled, subcontractors empty the bins and transport them to TerraCycle distribution centers.

— anna orso, Philly.com, "Turning Philly's cigarette butts into park benches," 30 Mar. 2018
For some reason, John’s ashes were never claimed, despite the family paying a pretty penny to have his remains stored in an expensive and heavy bronze receptacle — much fancier than the standard boxes covered in brown paper and wrapped in string.

— jonathan glover, The Seattle Times, "Trail of ashes: A Spokane man’s work to restore identity to the unclaimed dead," 29 Mar. 2018
Please place any trash receptacles in hallways and turn out lights.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Set your voicemail and clean out the fridge: A pre-shutdown memo," 19 Jan. 2018
Each vehicle must include a trash receptacle and the operator would be responsible for ensuring that each vending location is free of litter prior to leaving.

— mike danahey, Elgin Courier-News, "Elgin City Council gives initial nod to lifting 45-year ice cream truck ban," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'receptacle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of receptacle

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin receptaculum, from receptare to receive, frequentative of recipere to receive

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

receptacle Synonyms

Synonyms

container, holder, vessel;

Related Words

carrier;

cartridge;

basket, bin, box, caddy, carton, case, casket, crate, handbasket, locker, trunk;

bag, hamper, pocket, sack;

cooler, warmer;

basin, bottle, bowl, bucket, can, jar, jug, keg, kettle, kit, pack, pail, pitcher, pot, tub, vat;

RECEPTACLE Defined for English Language Learners

receptacle

noun

Definition of receptacle for English Language Learners

: a container that is used to hold something
: a device into which an electric cord can be plugged in order to provide electricity for a lamp, television, etc.

RECEPTACLE Defined for Kids

receptacle

noun re·cep·ta·cle \ ri-ˈsep-tə-kəl \

Definition of receptacle for Students

: something used to receive and hold smaller objects

a trash receptacle

Learn More about receptacle

See words that rhyme with receptacle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for receptacle Spanish Central: Translation of receptacle Nglish: Translation of receptacle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of receptacle for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about receptacle

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receptacle

Definition of receptacle

Examples of receptacle in a Sentence

Recent Examples of receptacle from the Web

Origin and Etymology of receptacle

receptacle Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

RECEPTACLE Defined for English Language Learners

receptacle

Definition of receptacle for English Language Learners

RECEPTACLE Defined for Kids

receptacle

Definition of receptacle for Students

Learn More about receptacle

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receptacle

Definition of receptacle

Examples of receptacle in a Sentence

Recent Examples of receptacle from the Web

Origin and Etymology of receptacle

receptacle Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

RECEPTACLE Defined for English Language Learners

receptacle

Definition of receptacle for English Language Learners

RECEPTACLE Defined for Kids

receptacle

Definition of receptacle for Students

Learn More about receptacle

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