Received Pronunciation

American  

noun

1. the pronunciation of British English considered to have the widest geographical distribution and the fewest regional peculiarities, originally the pronunciation of educated speakers in southern England and traditionally that used in the public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge universities, adopted by many speakers elsewhere in England and widely used in broadcasting. RP

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Received Pronunciation British  

noun

1.  RP.  the accent of standard Southern British English

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Etymology

Origin of Received Pronunciation

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

And what about the classic English "received pronunciation", long the go-to sound of the British ruling class?

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Around 26% of the participants spoke estuary English, which had similarities with Cockney but was closer to received pronunciation.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2023

Given the character's wealthy background, Dinklage takes on the "received pronunciation" British accent, the region's standard "posh" vocal intonation.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2022

The absurdity of this is exacerbated by their barks – when spied on unobserved, they complain about the weather and reminisce about when this was all fields in clipped robotic received pronunciation.

From Forbes • Aug. 27, 2013

Sewel, in the Introduction to his Dutch Dictionary, 1691, gives henketsjer, and Voltaire, forty years later, hankercher, as the received pronunciation.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 04, No. 25, November, 1859 by Various