What does "receptacle" mean?
A container.
Receptacle
/ɹɪˈsɛp.tə.kl̩/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A container.
- Grammar: receptacle is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: amnion, androecium, anther, arks.
- Useful contrasts: plugs, source.
- Usage evidence: The eye socket is the bone receptacle in which the eye fits.
How to use "receptacle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "receptacle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "receptacle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "receptacle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "receptacle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "receptacle" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amnion" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "receptacle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A container.
"“Divine receptacle of excellence, let it not be deemed impertinent, or deviating from the rules of propriety, if I propound one queſtion which now labours in my breaſt; aſſuring me firſt, you will not let the ſceptre of true judgment depart from your right hand.”"
- 2 a container that is used to put or keep things in wordnet
- 3 The part of the flower stalk (peduncle or pedicel) to which the floral parts are attached; a thalamus, a torus.
"The form of the flower is highly dependent on the structure of the receptacle, even though this may not always be obvious externally. The receptacle is also called the floral axis, or it is sometimes called the torus, which may be translated as "swelling". These expressions per se imply that, although in the majority of cases the receptacle is greatly reduced, it is frequently thickened in a capitate form or broadened into a definitely disc-like shape."
- 4 an electrical (or electronic) fitting that is connected to a source of power and equipped to receive an insert wordnet
- 5 The part of the flower stalk (peduncle or pedicel) to which the floral parts are attached; a thalamus, a torus.; A condensed rachis of a capitate or umbellate inflorescence at the end of the peduncle, to which all of the florets or pedicels are attached.
"All flowers in a head share a common receptacle. The receptacle may be flat or convex. It may bear tiny scales called paleae. The paleae of a receptacle are referred to as chaff. Receptacles without paleae are said to be epaleate or naked. When the paleae are shed, they may leave either a smooth or a pitted receptacle. Occasionally, hairs, scales, or bristles may also be present on the receptacle."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 enlarged tip of a stem that bears the floral parts wordnet
- 7 A structure at the end of a branch of an alga containing conceptacles (reproductive organs).
"Plants all marine, of an olive-brown or olive-green colour, becoming black on exposure to air; […] Frutification, tubercles contained in distinct receptacles, or embedded in the frond, and containing dark-coloured seeds surrounded with a pellucid limbus, which escape by a terminal pore."
- 8 An organ that receives and holds a secretion.
- 9 A contact device installed at an outlet for the connection of an attachment plug (typically by receiving the plug's prongs) to supply portable appliances or equipment. US
"A contact device installed at an outlet for the connection of an attachment plug is a receptacle[…]. A multiple receptacle is a single device consisting of two or more receptacles[…]."
Example
"The eye socket is the bone receptacle in which the eye fits."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "receptacle"?
Common synonyms include: amnion, androecium, anther, arks, autoclave, bag.
How do you use "receptacle" in a sentence?
The eye socket is the bone receptacle in which the eye fits.
How do you pronounce "receptacle"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈsɛp.tə.kl̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English receptacle, from Anglo-Norman receptacle and Middle French receptacle (“organ containing a fluid; gathering place; water basin”) (modern French réceptacle), from Latin receptāculum (“animal enclosure, container, place of refuge, receptacle, repository, reservoir, shelter”), from receptāre (“to harbour, to receive, to shelter”) or receptō (“I receive back or again, I recover”), frequentative of recipiō (“I receive; I hold back, I reserve”) (from re- (“back, again”) + capiō (“I hold”)) + -culum (suffix forming nouns from verbs, particularly nouns representing tools and instruments); cognate with Italian recettaculo, ricettaculo, Portuguese receptáculo, Spanish receptáculo.