receptacle

CEFRC1

/ɹɪˈsɛp.tə.kl̩/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A container used for holding something.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    The part of the flower stalk (peduncle or pedicel) to which the floral parts are attached; a thalamus, a torus.

Examples

  • The eye socket is the bone receptacle in which the eye fits.

  • Darkness had no effect upon my fancy; and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • /ɹəˈsɛp.tə.k(ə)l/
  • /ɹi-/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A container.

  2. 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.

  3. A structure at the end of a branch of an alga containing conceptacles (reproductive organs).

More examples

In context

  • […] and an anonymous scribe whose letter has been consigned to the receptacle most appropriate for such communications.

  • A basic flower […] has four series of parts arranged in concentric whorls (or rings) on the receptacle, which is the name given to the expanded end of the pedicel (flower stalk).

  • 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[…].

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

After sealing the envelope, she dropped it into the mail blank for collection.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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 (“to receive back or again, to recover”), frequentative of recipiō (“to receive; to hold back, to reserve”) (from re- (“back, again”) + capiō (“to hold”)) + -culum (suffix forming nouns from verbs, particularly nouns representing tools and instruments); cognate with Italian recettaculo, ricettaculo, Portuguese receptáculo, Spanish recept...