receipt

American  

[ri-seet] / rɪˈsit /

noun

• receipts
  plural

1. a written acknowledgment of having received, or taken into one's possession, a specified amount of money, goods, etc.

2. receipts, the amount or quantity received.

   Economic austerity diminished the government’s tax receipts.

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

   We are in receipt of your letter requesting a copy of the report.

4. something that is received.

5. Slang. receipts, evidence or proof.

   There's no way he's a crook—show me the receipts!

6. Archaic. recipe.

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verb (used with object)

1. to acknowledge in writing the payment of (a bill).

   The check was dated January 9, and the invoice was receipted on January 15.

2. to give a receipt for (money, goods, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to give a receipt, as for money or goods.

receipt British  

/ rɪˈsiːt /

noun

1. a written acknowledgment by a receiver of money, goods, etc, that payment or delivery has been made

2. the act of receiving or fact of being received

3. (usually plural) an amount or article received

4. archaic another word for recipe

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verb

1. (tr) to acknowledge payment of (a bill), as by marking it

2. to issue a receipt for (money, goods, etc)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonreceipt
  noun
• prereceipt
  verb (used with object)
• unreceipted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• receipts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of receipt

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English receite, receyt, from Anglo-French, from Old French recete, reçoite, recoite or directly from Medieval Latin recepta “money received, receipt, recipe,” feminine past participle of recipere “to receive,” from Latin; see origin at receive

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Explanation

You know that slim, white piece of paper the grocery store clerk gives you that lists everything you bought, how much you paid, and the change you received? That's a receipt. A receipt is proof you bought and paid for something. At most stores, you need it if you're going to return what you bought. People collect receipts on business trips, so their employers will pay them back for what they purchased while away. Less commonly, receipt can be used as a verb, as in, "The clerk receipted my purchases," meaning that the clerk gave written proof that the items were paid for.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

receipt receipts

Comedians John Early and Kate Berlant, respectively dressed as a package of salami and an extra-long pharmacy receipt, judged the costume contest — with Carrie taking home first place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

He suggests saving copies of a lease agreement and any evidence you actually paid the rent, like a receipt or cancelled check.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026

Championship clubs not in receipt of parachute payments would pay around £45,000 per season, with League One clubs paying around £9,000, and League Two clubs £6,000.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Suggested actions will pop up automatically for certain items: Snap a snack or dish to see its nutritional value; snap a receipt to calculate how to split the bill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

Another family was getting their receipt checked at the door before exiting.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

But “Oh, Mary!” has achieved much more than gold statues and box office receipts — it’s a genuine pop-culture phenomenon, a familiar meme and a show beloved by seemingly all demographics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Most of England's 14 strategic authorities are led by Labour mayors who have welcomed the move to give them a portion of income tax receipts.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

SK Hynix’s American depositary receipts also jumped premarket.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Healey, whose official title is chancellor of the exchequer, has also pledged to abide by the rules laid out by his predecessor Rachel Reeves, which state that day-to-day spending must balance with government tax receipts.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

“I never received the full amount from the gate receipts from 1972,” Bobby suddenly accused Thorarinsson at a party at his house.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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Related Words

• certificate
• voucher

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