reception

American  

[ri-sep-shuhn] / rɪˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

• receptions
  plural

1. the act of receiving or the state of being received.

2. a manner of being received.

   The book met with a favorable reception.

   Synonyms:

   treatment, reaction, response

3. a function or occasion when persons are formally received.

   a wedding reception.

4. the quality or fidelity attained in receiving radio or television broadcasts under given circumstances.

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reception British  

/ rɪˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the act of receiving or state of being received

2. the manner in which something, such as a guest or a new idea, is received

   a cold reception

3. a formal party for guests, such as one after a wedding

4. an area in an office, hotel, etc, where visitors or guests are received and appointments or reservations dealt with

5. short for reception room

6. the quality or fidelity of a received radio or television broadcast

   the reception was poor

7. 1. the first class in an infant school

   2. a class in a school designed to receive new immigrants, esp those whose knowledge of English is poor

   3. ( as modifier )

      a reception teacher

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonreception
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• receptions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of reception

1350–1400; Middle English recepcion < Latin receptiōn- (stem of receptiō ), equivalent to recept ( us ) (past participle of recipere to receive ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Reception is the act of receiving, or getting something, or the way it is received. If your book receives a positive reception, it means people receive it well. In other words, they like it. A reception can also be a party, such as a wedding reception. A reception area is an office waiting room where visitors are greeted and the receptionist sits. Reception can also refer to the quality of a broadcast signal, as received by a TV or radio. Good reception means a clear, strong signal, and poor reception means you might want to shake or kick the TV screen. A reception is also the act of catching the ball in American football.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reception receptions

That must be a relief for longtime DC Comics fans, given its emergence on the heels of the lukewarm critical and audience reception for “Supergirl.”

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

The school, which goes from reception right through to Year 11, used to have a branded jumper, tie and a shirt, which together cost about £41.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

When I visited Piker’s Twitch profile on election night, I wasn’t surprised to find him broadcasting live from El-Sayed’s reception.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

And airlines are getting a warmer reception when they reach out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

He returned to Florence in triumph in June, having brought glory to the name of Tuscany by his reception in Rome, and having, as he thought, received some sort of official approval for his work.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

"It has been a very difficult season so far heat-wise. We have changed to late afternoon ceremonies, for the first time ever this year, we have moved outdoor cocktail receptions indoors."

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Nacua led all NFL receivers with 129 receptions in 2025.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The most common violations include accepting lavish gifts, dining on public money or other people’s expense and arranging extravagant receptions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

Last season, Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions and was voted All-Pro.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

I witnessed and was sometimes invited to join christening and baptism parties, communion and wedding lunches, graduation dinners, wakes and funeral receptions.

From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat

Related Words

• encounter
• gathering
• greeting
• meeting
• reaction
• receiving
• response
• welcome