receiver

American  

[ri-see-ver] / rɪˈsi vər /

noun

receivers plural

1. a person or thing that receives.

2. a device or apparatus that receives electrical signals, waves, or the like, and renders them perceptible to the senses, as the part of a telephone held to the ear, a radio receiving set, or a television receiving set.

3. Law. a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs of a bankrupt business or person or to care for property in litigation.

4. Commerce. a person appointed to receive money due.

5. a person who knowingly receives stolen goods for an illegal purpose; a dealer in stolen merchandise.

6. a device or apparatus for receiving or holding something; receptacle; container.

7. (in a firearm) the basic metal unit housing the action and to which the barrel and other components are attached.

8. Chemistry. a vessel for collecting and containing a distillate.

9. Football. a player on the offensive team who catches, is eligible to catch, or is noted for the ability to catch a forward pass.

   Jones was the receiver of the first pass thrown. He sent all his receivers downfield.

10. Baseball. the catcher.

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receiver British  

/ rɪˈsiːvə /

noun

1. a person who receives something; recipient

2. a person appointed by a court to manage property pending the outcome of litigation, during the infancy of the owner, or after the owner(s) has been declared bankrupt or of unsound mind

3. a person who receives stolen goods knowing that they have been stolen

4. the equipment in a telephone, radio, or television that receives incoming electrical signals or modulated radio waves and converts them into the original audio or video signals

5. the part of a telephone containing the earpiece and mouthpiece that is held by the telephone user

6. the equipment in a radar system, radio telescope, etc, that converts incoming radio signals into a useful form, usually displayed on the screen of a cathode-ray oscilloscope

7. an obsolete word for receptacle

8. chem a vessel in which the distillate is collected during distillation

9. sport a player whose function is to receive the ball, esp a footballer who catches long passes

10. the metallic frame situated behind the breech of a gun to guide the round into the chamber

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receiver Scientific  

/ rĭ-sē′vər /

1. A device, as in a radio or telephone, that converts incoming radio, microwave, or electrical signals to a form, such as sound or light, that can be perceived by humans.

2. Compare transmitter

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prereceiver
  noun
• underreceiver
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• receivers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of receiver

1300–50; 1875–80 receiver for def. 2; receive + -er ¹; replacing Middle English recevour < Anglo-French receivour, recevour (< Old French recevere )

Explanation

What do football, radio, and email have in common? They all involve a receiver! A receiver is a position in American football, a part of a radio that translates the signal, or the person who gets the email you sent. If you collect or accept something, you're a receiver. When an object is a receiver, it's either the part of a telephone that you listen to or the component of a stereo system, radio, or television that receives audio or video signals. Another kind of receiver is the North American football player who takes a position toward the edge of the field and who specializes in passing and catching the ball.

Example Sentences

But those who want to can pick up the receiver to say out loud the emotions they’ve bottled inside — a chance to reflect, reminisce and, in a way, connect.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

The moment was the soccer equivalent of an NFL wide receiver juggling a pass in a playoff game and nobody agreeing whether or not it was a catch after an endless delay for review.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

Despite that there were promising combinations between Max Ojomoh and Murley in wide channels and full-back Marcus Smith dovetailed nicely with fly-half George Ford, stepping in to first receiver at times.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

Kupp, a receiver now with the Seattle Seahawks, was Donald’s fellow All-Pro teammate when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

She went home and changed into casual clothes, put on her SRR-100 radio receiver and earpiece, and slipped a small chunk of asphalt into her purse.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau