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

Only plug one heat-producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time. —Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025

There was an 87% increase in reports of high-volume mail theft from mail receptacles, with 20,574 reports in 2019 and 38,535 reports in 2022. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Select the Smart Plug, follow the instructions to plug it into a receptacle, and verify that the LED is flashing blue. —PCMAG, 15 Feb. 2025

The machine consists of a small steam boiler, beside which another receptacle to contain naphtha is placed, located on the front portion of a low wagon, the body of which is of iron. —Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for receptacle

• sceptical
• skeptical

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