recepta

Forms

recepta f (genitive receptae); first declension^[1][2] Niermeyer heads it together with a neuter receptum.^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin recipiō (“to take back, receive”), a noun use of the feminine of its past participle, “something received”.^[2][3][4]

The Italian ricetta (“recipe”) continues it.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates the Medieval Latin noun from before 1178, after Latham's dictionary.^[4] The earliest dated British quotations, from 1209 and 1218, use it of an amount of money received and of the harbouring of a felon.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In medieval administration it named the collecting of taxes, the money taken in, and the account of it;^[1][2] in England it also named the office of the Exchequer where the king's money was received, the Receipt.^[2] Du Cange records the related sense of a treasury into which collected money was paid.^[6]

In medicine it became the formula for preparing a remedy, a prescription,^[1][2][6] the sense that passed into English as receipt “recipe”.^[3] In law it also meant receiving stolen goods.^[1]

Timeline

• before 1178 – First recorded as a Medieval Latin noun.^[4]
• 1209 – A British account gives the total of money received.^[2]
• 1218 – A British record uses it of harbouring a felon.^[2]
• 1316 – A grant of tithes to the French king uses it of the collection of money.^[6]
• late 14th century – English takes over the Old French descendant as receit, “act of receiving; formula for a medicine”.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) The collection of taxes.^[1][6]
2. (Medieval Latin) Money received, a receipt; an account of money received.^[1][2]
3. (Medieval Latin) The office where money due to the king was received, the Receipt of the Exchequer.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin, medicine) A prescription, a recipe for a remedy.^[1][2][6]
5. (Medieval Latin, law) The harbouring of a felon, or the receiving of stolen goods.^[1][2]

Related words

• receptus²
• English receipt
• English recipe

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre