reception
B1Neutral to formal. Common in business, hospitality, telecommunications, and social contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The act or process of receiving or being received; a social function where guests are welcomed; the quality of a broadcast signal or mobile phone connection.
Can refer to the area in a building where visitors are greeted and dealt with (e.g., hotel or office reception); the way in which something is greeted or responded to (e.g., 'the film received a mixed reception'); in law, the receipt of property; in American football, the act of catching a forward pass.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word spans concrete ('hotel reception'), social ('wedding reception'), and abstract ('critical reception') meanings. It often implies a formal or organized process of receiving.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'reception' is commonly used for the first year of primary school (Reception class/Reception Year). In American football (US), 'reception' specifically means catching a pass.
Connotations
Generally similar. In UK corporate contexts, 'reception' often implies a physical front desk area staffed by a receptionist.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to the specific educational context and perhaps more common use for 'front desk' areas.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reception of + noun (e.g., reception of guests)reception at + noun (e.g., reception at the embassy)reception for + noun (e.g., reception for the winner)give/have/get a + adj + receptionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “give someone a warm/cold reception”
- “meet with a mixed reception”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Please report to reception to sign in for your meeting.
Academic
The reception of Darwin's theories varied across different cultural contexts.
Everyday
My phone has terrible reception in the basement.
Technical
The parabolic dish improved the satellite signal reception.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The hotel reception is manned 24 hours a day.
- Her son has just started in Reception.
- We're holding the wedding reception in a marquee.
American English
- Check out is at noon—please return your key to the reception desk.
- The quarterback's reception in the end zone won the game.
- The charity gala included a cocktail reception.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Go to reception and ask for a key.
- The phone reception is bad here.
- We got a very friendly reception from the staff.
- They held a small reception after the ceremony.
- The new policy met with a lukewarm reception from employees.
- His research explores the reception of classical music in the 19th century.
- The avant-garde artist's work defied easy reception and polarized critics.
- The embassy's diplomatic reception adhered to strict protocol.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RECEiving staTION. A reception is where you are RECEived.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE GUESTS/OBJECTS ('The theory was given a hostile reception').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'рецепт' (which is 'recipe' or 'prescription'). The Russian 'рецепция' is a false friend and is rarely used. Use 'приём' for the act of receiving, 'регистратура' for a doctor's front desk, and 'банкет' or 'приём гостей' for a social function.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'reception' to mean 'recipe' (false friend). Saying 'I have a bad reception on my phone' (correct) vs. 'I have a bad reception of the news' (incorrect for meaning 'understanding').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'reception' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often formal (wedding reception, diplomatic reception), it can be informal ('a reception in my honour') and also refers to non-event meanings like phone signal.
'Reception' often refers to the area or function, while 'front desk' is more specific to the counter/desk itself. In many contexts, they are interchangeable.
No, 'reception' is only a noun. The related verb is 'receive'.
Use it to mean how something is received or responded to by the public or critics. E.g., 'The film's reception was overwhelmingly positive.'