recipient
Americannoun
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of recipient
First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin recipient-, stem of recipiēns “receiving,” present participle of recipere “to receive”; see receive
Explanation
A recipient is the person on the receiving end of something. Meryl Streep is the recipient of more Academy Award nominations than any other actor. Just as an actor can be the recipient of a prize for acting, a banker can be the recipient of a bonus for good banking. You'll notice the connection between recipient and receive. In order to be a recipient you have to receive something, whether it's a prize or just a letter in the mail. If it's true that it's better to give than to receive, does that mean it's better to be a giver than a recipient?
Vocabulary lists containing recipient
Academy Awards, List 1
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This Week In Words: March 29–April 4, 2020
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"Tinker v. Des Moines": Excerpts from Justice Fortas's Opinion
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The recipient should also budget $1.5 million a year to maintain existing infrastructure and catch up on deferred maintenance, according to Bhakta’s website.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Mexican journalist Luis Chaparro previously reported that Durazo had lost his visa because of a U.S. investigation and was a recipient of parole.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
"I'll stay here day by day," Lau, a 48-year-old welfare recipient who had received an eviction notice months ago, told AFP.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
The innocence of the recipient is no defence.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
This wouldn’t be so bad if Mr. Dussel weren’t such a tattletale and hadn’t singled out Mother to be the recipient of his reports.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
