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

Pahlavi taking receipt of the prize was not welcomed by all, despite the visible support he enjoyed on the streets of Frankfurt.

From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026

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

The Framers understood that, even for the most virtuous, receipt of favors creates a predisposition to do favors in return.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026

There is also an American depositary receipt for the company.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

The receipt trembles in my hand, and I blink, but I know that no amount of blinking will make it right.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Embraer’s American depositary receipts are up 25% in the 12 months through Wednesday, including an 8% daily jump on the third-quarter results when it reached its all-time high.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026

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

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

She says I’m running our marriage like a partnership where everyone submits receipts.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

The natural custodian of bus tickets, bank receipts, cash memos, checkbook stubs.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

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Related Words

• certificate
• voucher

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