receipt

American  

[ri-seet] / rɪˈsit /

noun

1. a written acknowledgment of having received, or taken into one's possession, a specified amount of money, goods, etc.

2. receipts, the amount or quantity received.

   Economic austerity diminished the government’s tax receipts.

3. the act of receiving or the state of being received.

   We are in receipt of your letter requesting a copy of the report.

4. something that is received.

5. Slang. receipts, evidence or proof.

   There's no way he's a crook—show me the receipts!

6. Archaic. recipe.

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verb (used with object)

1. to acknowledge in writing the payment of (a bill).

   The check was dated January 9, and the invoice was receipted on January 15.

2. to give a receipt for (money, goods, etc.).

verb (used without object)

1. to give a receipt, as for money or goods.

receipt British  

/ rɪˈsiːt /

noun

1. a written acknowledgment by a receiver of money, goods, etc, that payment or delivery has been made

2. the act of receiving or fact of being received

3. (usually plural) an amount or article received

4. archaic another word for recipe

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verb

1. (tr) to acknowledge payment of (a bill), as by marking it

2. to issue a receipt for (money, goods, etc)

Other Word Forms

• nonreceipt
  noun
• prereceipt
  verb (used with object)
• unreceipted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of receipt

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English receite, receyt, from Anglo-French, from Old French recete, reçoite, recoite or directly from Medieval Latin recepta “money received, receipt, recipe,” feminine past participle of recipere “to receive,” from Latin; see origin at receive

Explanation

You know that slim, white piece of paper the grocery store clerk gives you that lists everything you bought, how much you paid, and the change you received? That's a receipt. A receipt is proof you bought and paid for something. At most stores, you need it if you're going to return what you bought. People collect receipts on business trips, so their employers will pay them back for what they purchased while away. Less commonly, receipt can be used as a verb, as in, "The clerk receipted my purchases," meaning that the clerk gave written proof that the items were paid for.

Example Sentences

Investigators found a loaded, 10-round magazine, two knives, a laptop, hard drive, Metro receipt and a filtered mask inside Allen’s hotel room, people familiar with the probe said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

To receive the payout, customers must have received a receipt displaying the first six and last four digits of the card number.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

“When oil spikes, it doesn’t show up on your pharmacy receipt the next week—but it will show up,” Suter said.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

The service told him the receipt he was given was not genuine.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

There are no recorded Memories, but to my surprise, the gift receipt tells me that it was sent from Tremaine, with a single line written on the card.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• certificate
• voucher