receptacle

noun

re·​cep·​ta·​cle ri-ˈsep-ti-kəl 

1

: one that receives and contains something : container

2

[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

Synonyms

• container
• holder
• vessel

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 on the Web

Courtesy of Down and Feather Company Obtaining a fill-power measurement involves filling a receptacle with one ounce of down insulation and then placing a weight on top. —WIRED, 5 Nov. 2023

This includes, but is not limited to, signs, filigreed lampposts, benches, bollards, planters, permanent trash receptacles, delivery ramps, underground vaults and just about anything else imaginable, including ornamental clocks. —Sam Roberts, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2023

Lately, Tamira has been carrying around this glass receptacle, tap-tap-tapping her fingers on it and clutching it tight to her chest. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2023

The company keeps recycling receptacles outside its stores for customers to deposit bags. —Marc Bona, cleveland, 7 Sep. 2023

The new investigative unit became a receptacle for activists’ tips about fraud. —Sharon Lafraniere, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023

Six storage receptacles and a queen-size bed were tucked away in the ceiling, ready to be summoned downward on a whim with the push of an iPhone button. —Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023

The worker gave police photos and video of the unidentified suspect who placed the smoke bomb in the cigarette receptacle. —Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 11 Aug. 2023

Smoke bomb: West Bagley Road A worker at Sunoco, 455 W. Bagley Road, called police at about 4 p.m. July 22 and said an unidentified male suspect had placed something in the store’s cigarette receptacle. —Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 11 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

receptacle

noun

re·​cep·​ta·​cle ri-ˈsep-ti-kəl 

1

: something used to receive and contain smaller objects : container

2

: the enlarged end of a flower stalk upon which the parts of the flower grow