receipt
B1Formal to Neutral. Dominant in written, administrative, and commercial contexts; less common in casual spoken conversation.
Definition
Meaning
A written or printed statement acknowledging that something has been received, especially money or goods; the act of receiving something.
1. A recipe (archaic). 2. A proof or evidence of a transaction or payment. 3. A temporary or official document confirming delivery or acceptance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun referring to the physical or digital document. In some legal/financial contexts, can be uncountable (e.g., 'on receipt of the goods'). The verb form 'to receipt' (meaning to write a receipt) is rare and chiefly business/accounting jargon.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The pronunciation differs (see IPA). Both use 'receipt' for the noun. In very rare instances, archaic 'receipt' for 'recipe' might be encountered in older UK texts.
Connotations
Neutral and functional in both. No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in commercial/administrative contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
on receipt of + NOUN (formal)the receipt for + NOUNmake out/write out a receipt for + AMOUNT/ITEMVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “upon/on receipt of (immediately after receiving)”
- “acknowledge receipt (to confirm you have received something, formal)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Crucial for accounting, tax, and proof of transaction. 'Please retain your receipt for warranty purposes.'
Academic
Rare, except in legal or economic texts discussing transactions or evidence.
Everyday
Common after purchases, especially for expensive items, returns, or expense claims. 'Can I have a receipt, please?'
Technical
Used in logistics ('delivery receipt'), point-of-sale systems, and financial auditing.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The charity will receipt all donations over £50.
- The till automatically receipts the transaction.
American English
- Please receipt this payment in the ledger.
- The system failed to receipt the customer's order.
adjective
British English
- The receipt document was filed.
- A receipt copy is essential.
American English
- Send the receipt invoice to accounting.
- He provided a receipt stub.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Here is your receipt.
- Keep your receipt for the bus.
- Can I have a receipt, please?
- I need the receipt to return this shirt.
- She asked for a receipt for the taxi fare.
- The receipt shows the date and price.
- Upon receipt of your application, we will send a confirmation email.
- Make sure you get a proper receipt for the repair work.
- The receipt was illegible, so the warranty claim was rejected.
- The company acknowledged receipt of the legal notice but disputed its contents.
- For tax purposes, you must retain itemised receipts for all business expenses.
- Electronic receipts are now legally equivalent to paper ones in most jurisdictions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'I received it, so I got a receiPt.' The silent 'p' is a common trap; link it to the silent 'p' in 'pterodactyl'—both are from Greek via Latin ('recipere').
Conceptual Metaphor
RECEIPT IS PROOF (Evidence as a physical/documentary object); RECEIPT IS A RECORD (Memory/History as a written document).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The Russian word 'рецепт' is a 'recipe' (for food/medicine), not a financial receipt. A receipt is 'чек' or 'квитанция'.
- The silent 'p' is often misspelled or mispronounced based on the spelling.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'reciept' (incorrect order of 'i' and 'e'), 'receit' (omitting 'p').
- Mispronouncing the 'p' (/rɪˈsiːpt/).
- Using 'recipe' and 'receipt' interchangeably (historical but now archaic).
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is 'receipt' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the 'p' is silent in standard English. The pronunciation is /rɪˈsiːt/ (UK) or /rəˈsit/ (US).
An invoice is a request for payment issued by a seller *before* payment. A receipt is a confirmation of payment issued by a seller *after* payment has been made.
Yes, but it is rare and primarily used in formal business or accounting contexts, meaning 'to mark (a bill) as paid' or 'to give a receipt for' (e.g., 'The payment was receipted').
The word comes from Middle English 'receite', from Anglo-Norman French, from medieval Latin 'recepta' (money received). The 'p' was inserted in the 16th century to reflect its Latin root 'receptus', the past participle of 'recipere' (to receive), similar to the silent 'p' in 'debt' (from Latin 'debitum').
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A2 · 50 words · Vocabulary for buying and selling goods.
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