receptive

[ ri-sep-tiv ]

adjective

1. having the quality of receiving, taking in, or admitting.
2. able or quick to receive knowledge, ideas, etc.:

   a receptive mind.

3. willing or inclined to receive suggestions, offers, etc., with favor:

   a receptive listener.

   Synonyms: open, responsive, hospitable, amenable

4. of or relating to reception or receptors

   a receptive end organ.

5. (in language learning) of or relating to the language skills of listening and reading ( productive ).

receptive

/ rɪˈsɛptɪv; ˌriːsɛpˈtɪvɪtɪ /

adjective

1. able to apprehend quickly
2. tending to receive new ideas or suggestions favourably
3. able to hold or receive

Derived Forms

• reˈceptively, adverb
• receptivity, noun

Other Words From

• re·cep·tive·ly adverb
• re·cep·tiv·i·ty [ree-sep-, tiv, -i-tee], re·cep·tive·ness [ri-, sep, -tiv-nis], noun
• non·re·cep·tive adjective
• non·re·cep·tive·ly adverb
• un·re·cep·tive adjective
• un·re·cep·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of receptive¹

From the Medieval Latin word receptīvus, dating back to 1540–50. See reception, -ive

Example Sentences

Over the past year, Americans have only become more receptive to the idea of using technology to care for their health.

From Popular-Science

In fact, one of the reasons the Glasgow Rocks were receptive to the idea was that they were already using mental imagery training to practice their shooting.

From Outside Online

Answers to a question about vegan foods, for example, might be used to identify people who would be receptive to an ad for a meat alternative brand’s ad.

From Digiday

Others learned the minutiae of the science and worked quietly with receptive bureaucrats, bringing the patient’s perspective to the table toward the same goal of faster drug approval.

From Nautilus

At that point they were way more receptive to the idea of building the service that can help them shave off a few hundred thousand dollars per year of that map services bill.

From MIT Technology Review

And as luck would have it, a warm and receptive audience showed up that night.

From The Daily Beast

It remains the receptive petri dish to any and all sorts of colonies of humanity that finally managed to find one another.

From The Daily Beast

Day by day, I feel the violence is fading way and the children are becoming more receptive.

From The Daily Beast

The assembled crowd of about 50 in this Northwest Baltimore retirement castle have been receptive to her pitch.

From The Daily Beast

How receptive was everyone to the idea of you coming in to teach pie class?

From The Daily Beast

I have never seen a person more perilously appreciative or receptive than you.

From Project Gutenberg

Dan's attitude toward the world was receptive; here in the Bassett domestic circle he felt no shame at being a Bassett man.

From Project Gutenberg

Never did any exercise whatever render the exercising being more fitted to suffering (or, receptive experience).

From Project Gutenberg

"Yes, please," said Michael, who would have accepted anything in his present receptive condition.

From Project Gutenberg

A torrent of words from the other seemed to meet a receptive ear.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amenable
• approachable
• friendly
• hospitable
• interested
• open-minded
• ready
• responsive
• sensitive
• susceptible
• sympathetic
• welcoming