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receptaculum

Etymology and origin of the Latin word receptaculum

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (recipiō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛ.kɛpˈtaː.kʊ.ɫũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [re.t͡ʃepˈtaː.ku.lum][1]

Forms

receptāculum n (genitive receptāculī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin receptō (“to take back, receive”) + -culum, the frequentative of recipiō “to receive”, from re- and capiō “to take”.[2][3][4] De Vaan traces ⟨capiō⟩ to Proto-Italic *kap-i- (“to seize”), cognate with Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐍆𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hafjan, “to lift”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Cicero.[2] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a place where things are received or stored, a receptacle, reservoir, repository, as of the body as a vessel of the soul in Cicero and of the Nile's outlet in Tacitus; and a place of refuge, shelter, retreat, as in Cicero.[2][6][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means vessel, receptacle, reservoir, storehouse.[8] English receptacle (late 14th century) is from it.[4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a repository and a refuge.[2][3]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of the Nile's outlet.[7][3]
  • late 14th century – English receptacle is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A receptacle, reservoir, storehouse.[2][6]
  2. A place of refuge, shelter, retreat.[2]
  • receptābilis
  • receptātiō
  • receptātor
  • receptibilis
  • receptīcius
  • receptiō
  • receptō
  • receptor
  • receptōrius
  • receptrīx
  • recipiō
  • capiō
  • English receptacle

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Receptaculum.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/receptaculum. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·