Etymologically
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receptio

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 13:19. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈkɛp.ti.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈt͡ʃɛp.t͡si.o][1]

Forms

receptiō f (genitive receptiōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from recipiō “to take back, receive” with the suffix -tiō.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus' Asinaria, quid tibi receptiō ad tē est meum virum? “what business have you receiving my husband?”.[2][4][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a receiving, reception, and Plautus constructs it with an accusative like a verb.[2][4] In legal Latin it meant recovery, and in Ulpian retention, reservation.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant reception, receiving, accepting.[7] Medieval Latin used it of the compulsory housing of a lord and of money received, and British Medieval Latin of the receiving of a sacrament.[8][9] English reception came in the late 14th century, first in astrology, and in the late 15th century of the act of receiving.[10]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of receiving.[2][6]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of reservation.[2][6]
  • late 14th century – English reception is recorded.[10]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A receiving, reception.[2]
  2. Recovery.[2]
  3. Retention, reservation.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) Compulsory hospitality; receipt of money.[8]
  • receptābilis
  • receptāculum
  • receptātiō
  • receptātor
  • receptibilis
  • receptīcius
  • receptō
  • receptor
  • receptōrius
  • receptrīx
  • recipiō
  • English reception
  • English receipt

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com