receptacle

noun

re·​cep·​ta·​cle ri-ˈsep-ti-kəl How to pronounce receptacle (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 20-something goes dumpster diving in the outdoor receptacles located behind retail outlets to find her treasures. Maureen MacKey, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024 And yet every month or so, moviegoers take to social media to extol the virtues of or poke fun at some new popcorn receptacle. Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024 Cartwright recommends glass or BPA-free plastic receptacles, which are suitable for both refrigeration and reheating. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2024 Goldberg asked, referencing recent rhetoric that likened Harris to being controlled by men, while Sunny Hostin pointed out that Trump recently likened America to a garbage receptacle over immigration at a recent campaign event. EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for receptacle 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of receptacle was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near receptacle

Cite this Entry

“Receptacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/receptacle. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

receptacle

noun
re·​cep·​ta·​cle ri-ˈsep-ti-kəl How to pronounce receptacle (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on receptacle

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