Origin of the word
The original form of receive dates back to the Old North French word ‘receivre’ or the Old French ‘recoivre’ used around 1300 to mean ‘take hold of’ or ‘accept’. The French version of the word is derived from the Latin ‘recipere’ which means to ‘take back’ or ‘to recover’. Additionally, the word ‘receven’ was adopted into Middle English between 1250 and 1300.
Examples
Receive is a frequently-used verb that refers to getting a gift or physical object, money, new information, or new ideas. Despite its commonplace usage in speech and writing today, receive is one of the most misspelled words in the English language.
Receiving refers to the act of taking possession of something, but its meaning also extends to the act of hosting guests in the sense of allowing company to enter one’s house. Furthermore, receive is commonly used in a medical context, such as receiving a particular medical treatment or experience.
“Shaun Mitchell, who teaches English, theater and African-American studies at Central High School in Bridgeport and Thomas Seuch, science chairman at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk each receive grants of $15,000 to advance their efforts to drive student-centered learning.” – Connecticut Post, Wednesday 6th September 2017: Local teachers receive leadership awards.
“Cocoa samples produced by two Central American farmers, who are receiving assistance from Lutheran World Relief through its Ground Up Coffee & Cocoa Initiative, have been selected as finalists in the 2017 International Cocoa Awards, a global competition held every two years by the Cocoa of Excellence Program.” – Huffington Post, Wednesday 6th September 2017: Farmers in El Salvador and Nicaragua receive international acclaim for their cocoa.
Definition
To get something that someone gives or sends to you.
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
