consignee

American

[kon-sahy-nee, -si-, kuhn-sahy-] / ˌkɒn saɪˈni, -sɪ-, kən saɪ- /

noun

a person or party to whom something, usually merchandise, is consigned.

consignee British

/ ˌkɒnsaɪˈniː /

noun

a person, agent, organization, etc, to which merchandise is consigned

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of consignee

First recorded in 1780–90; consign + -ee

Compare meaning

How does consignee compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

consignor vs. consignee

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Police said they were seeking a man called Wilmane Jean, who is named in the customs data as the consignee for the shipment - the person responsible for receiving it.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2025

The recalled products were distributed to one consignee in Wisconsin.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2024

"My point is that that manifest doesn't support definitively one or the other except to say that the consignee is the Ministry of Defense in Kenya."

From Time Magazine Archive

What would its original consignee give for it, delivered now, even if it had not been underwater for 33 years?

From Time Magazine Archive

In quoting prices on goods, manufacturers and distributors usually designate whether they will pay the freight or whether it is to be paid by the consignee.

From Business English A Practice Book by Buhlig, Rose

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023