Standard Lemma guide

reception

noun · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃn̩/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 S EH1 P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: R IY0 S EH1 P SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of receiving.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: receipt

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The act or ability to receive radio or similar signals.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

Examples

  • We have poor TV reception in the valley.
  • The new system provides exceptional quality of the reception signal.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A social engagement, usually to formally welcome someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • After the wedding we proceeded to the reception.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A reaction; the treatment received on first talking to a person, arriving at a place, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The ambassador's jokes met a cold reception.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The desk of a hotel or office where guests are received.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The reception of the hotel is on the second floor; exit the lift and turn right.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

The school year, or part thereof, between preschool and Year 1, when children are introduced to formal education.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, countable, uncountable

Topics: education

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kindergarten

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The conscious adoption or transplantation of legal phenomena from a different culture.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The act of catching a pass.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: American-football, ball-games, football, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Reading viewed as the active process of receiving a text in any medium (written, spoken, signed, multimodal, nonverbal), consisting of several steps, such as ideation, comprehension, reconstruction, interpretation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the act of receiving

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: receipt

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: acquiring, getting

11

noun

Meaning 11

(American football) the act of catching a pass in football

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the tight end made a great reception on the 20 yard line

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: catch, grab, snatch, snap

12

noun

Meaning 12

quality or fidelity of a received broadcast

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: broadcasting

Narrower terms: signal detection, detection, demodulation

13

noun

Meaning 13

the manner in which something is greeted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she did not expect the cold reception she received from her superiors

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: response

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: greeting, salutation

14

noun

Meaning 14

a formal party of people; as after a wedding

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: party

Narrower terms: at home, levee, tea, wedding reception

History

Etymology

From Middle English recepcion, reception, from Middle French reception, from Latin receptiōn- (“the act of receiving; reception”), from recipiō (“receive”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“to hold”). Equivalent to receive + -tion.

Across languages

Translations

198 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِسْتِقْبَال (istiqbāl) — act of receiving
  • Arabic: اِسْتقبال (istigbāl) — act of receiving
  • Armenian: ստացում (stacʻum) — act of receiving
  • Belarusian: прыём (pryjóm) — act of receiving
  • Bulgarian: получа́ване (polučávane) — act of receiving
  • Bulgarian: прие́мане (priémane) — act of receiving
  • Chinese Mandarin: 接收 (jiēshōu) — act of receiving
  • Czech: obdržení — act of receiving
  • Czech: přijetí — act of receiving
  • Danish: modtagelse — act of receiving
  • Dutch: ontvangst — act of receiving
  • Esperanto: akcepto — act of receiving
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — act of receiving
  • French: réception — act of receiving
  • Galician: recepción — act of receiving
  • Georgian: მიღება (miɣeba) — act of receiving
  • German: Empfang — act of receiving
  • Hindi: अगवानी (agvānī) — act of receiving
  • Hungarian: átvétel — act of receiving
  • Hungarian: fogadás — act of receiving
  • Italian: ricevimento — act of receiving
  • Japanese: 受付 (uketsuke) — act of receiving
  • Japanese: 受理 (juri) — act of receiving
  • Japanese: 収容 (shūyō) — act of receiving
  • Japanese: 入会 (nyūkai) — act of receiving
  • Japanese: 加入 (kanyū) — act of receiving
  • Korean: 응접 (eungjeop) — act of receiving
  • Latin: receptiō — act of receiving
  • Macedonian: при́ем (príem) — act of receiving
  • Malayalam: സ്വീകരണം (svīkaraṇaṁ) — act of receiving
  • Norwegian Bokmål: mottakelse — act of receiving
  • Polish: odbiór — act of receiving
  • Portuguese: recepção — act of receiving
  • Russian: приём (prijóm) — act of receiving
  • Russian: приня́тие (prinjátije) — act of receiving
  • Serbo-Croatian: prijem — act of receiving
  • Serbo-Croatian: doček — act of receiving
  • Slovene: sprejem — act of receiving
  • Spanish: recepción — act of receiving
  • Swahili: upokeaji — act of receiving
  • Swedish: mottagande — act of receiving
  • Ottoman Turkish: ادراك (idrak) — act of receiving
  • Ukrainian: прийо́м (pryjóm) — act of receiving
  • Welsh: derbyniad — act of receiving
  • Bulgarian: прие́мане (priémane) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Chinese Mandarin: 接收能力 (jiēshōu nénglì) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Czech: příjem — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Danish: modtagning — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Dutch: ontvangst — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • French: réception — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Galician: cobertura — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • German: Empfang — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Hungarian: vétel — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Hungarian: térerő — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Icelandic: móttökuskilyrði — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Irish: glacadh — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Italian: ricezione — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Japanese: 受信 (jushin) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Japanese: 感度 (kando) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Macedonian: при́ем (príem) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Norwegian Bokmål: mottak — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: mottak — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Polish: zasięg — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Portuguese: recepção — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Russian: приём (prijóm) — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Serbo-Croatian: prijem — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Spanish: cobertura — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Swedish: mottagning — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Welsh: derbyniad — electronics: act or ability to receive signals
  • Arabic: اِسْتِقْبَال (istiqbāl) — social engagement
  • Arabic: حَفْلَة اِسْتِقْبَال (ḥaflat istiqbāl) — social engagement
  • Belarusian: прыём (pryjóm) — social engagement
  • Bengali: এস্তেকবাল (estekbal) — social engagement
  • Bulgarian: прие́м (priém) — social engagement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 招待會 /招待会 (zhāodàihuì) — social engagement
  • Czech: recepce — social engagement
  • Danish: reception — social engagement
  • Dutch: receptie — social engagement
  • Esperanto: akcepto — social engagement
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — social engagement
  • French: accueil — social engagement
  • French: réception — social engagement
  • Galician: recepción — social engagement
  • Galician: convite — social engagement
  • Georgian: მიღება (miɣeba) — social engagement
  • German: Empfang — social engagement
  • Greek: υποδοχή (ypodochí) — social engagement
  • Ancient Greek: ὑποδοχή (hupodokhḗ) — social engagement
  • Ancient Greek: δοχή (dokhḗ) — social engagement
  • Hungarian: fogadás — social engagement
  • Italian: ricevimento — social engagement
  • Japanese: 接待 (settai) — social engagement
  • Japanese: 宴会 (enkai) — social engagement
  • Japanese: 披露宴 (hirōen) — social engagement
  • Korean: 환영회 (hwanyeonghoe) — social engagement
  • Korean: 리셉션 (risepsyeon) — social engagement
  • Central Kurdish: پێشواز (pêşwaz) — social engagement
  • Macedonian: до́чек (dóček) — social engagement
  • Macedonian: пре́чек (préček) — social engagement
  • Malayalam: റീസെപ്ഷൻ (ṟīsepṣaṉ) — social engagement
  • Norwegian Bokmål: resepsjon — social engagement
  • Norwegian Bokmål: mottakelse — social engagement
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: resepsjon — social engagement
  • Polish: przyjęcie — social engagement
  • Portuguese: recepção — social engagement
  • Russian: приём (prijóm) — social engagement
  • Russian: банке́т (bankét) — social engagement
  • Serbo-Croatian: prijem — social engagement
  • Serbo-Croatian: doček — social engagement
  • Slovak: recepcia — social engagement
  • Spanish: recibimiento — social engagement
  • Spanish: recepción — social engagement
  • Swahili: upokeaji — social engagement
  • Swedish: mottagning — social engagement
  • Swedish: reception — social engagement
  • Tagalog: baysanan — social engagement
  • Ukrainian: прийо́м (pryjóm) — social engagement
  • Welsh: derbyniad — social engagement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 反應 /反应 (fǎnyìng) — reaction
  • Czech: přijetí — reaction
  • Danish: modtagelse — reaction
  • Dutch: ontvangst — reaction
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — reaction
  • Hungarian: fogadtatás — reaction
  • Italian: accoglienza — reaction
  • Japanese: 受け (uke) — reaction
  • Japanese: 反応 (hannō) — reaction
  • Japanese: 評判 (hyōban) — reaction
  • Japanese: 理解 (rikai) — reaction
  • Macedonian: при́ем (príem) — reaction
  • Malay: sambutan — reaction
  • Portuguese: recepção — reaction
  • Russian: приём (prijóm) — reaction
  • Swahili: upokeaji — reaction
  • Swedish: mottagande — reaction
  • Arabic: مَكْتَب الِاسْتِقْبَال (maktab al-istiqbāl) — front desk
  • Arabic: الاستقبال (al-istigbāl) — front desk
  • Armenian: ընդունարան (əndunaran) — front desk
  • Belarusian: прыёмная (pryjómnaja) — front desk
  • Belarusian: рэгістрату́ра (rehistratúra) — front desk
  • Bulgarian: реце́пция (recépcija) — front desk
  • Catalan: recepció — front desk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 接待處 /接待处 (jiēdàichù) — front desk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 櫃檯 /柜台 (guìtái) — front desk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 前臺 /前台 (qiántái) — front desk
  • Chinese Mandarin: 接受處 /接受处 (jiēshòuchù) — front desk
  • Czech: recepce — front desk
  • Danish: reception — front desk
  • Dutch: receptie — front desk
  • Dutch: balie — front desk
  • Esperanto: akceptejo — front desk
  • Estonian: vastuvõtt — front desk
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — front desk
  • French: réception — front desk
  • Galician: recepción — front desk
  • Georgian: მისაღები (misaɣebi) — front desk
  • German: Rezeption — front desk
  • German: Empfang — front desk
  • Greek: υποδοχή (ypodochí) — front desk
  • Greek: ρεσεψιόν (resepsión) — front desk
  • Hungarian: recepció — front desk
  • Irish: deasc fáiltithe — front desk
  • Italian: reception — front desk
  • Italian: ricezione — front desk
  • Japanese: 受付 (uketsuke) — front desk
  • Japanese: フロント (furonto) — front desk
  • Japanese: レセプション (resepushon) — front desk
  • Korean: 접수처 (jeopsucheo) — front desk
  • Korean: 리셉션 (risepsyeon) — front desk
  • Korean: 프런트 (peureonteu) — front desk
  • Macedonian: реце́пција (recépcija) — front desk
  • Macedonian: ша́лтер (šálter) — front desk
  • Māori: taupaepae — front desk
  • Norwegian Bokmål: resepsjon — front desk
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: resepsjon — front desk
  • Iranian Persian: پَذیرِش (pazireš) — front desk
  • Polish: recepcja — front desk
  • Portuguese: recepção — front desk
  • Russian: приёмная (prijómnaja) — front desk
  • Russian: сто́йка администра́тора (stójka administrátora) — front desk
  • Russian: регистрату́ра (registratúra) — front desk
  • Russian: ресе́пшен (resɛ́pšen) — front desk
  • Russian: реце́пция (recépcija) — front desk
  • Serbo-Croatian: recepcija — front desk
  • Slovak: recepcia — front desk
  • Spanish: recepción — front desk
  • Swahili: mapokezi — front desk
  • Swedish: reception — front desk
  • Swedish: vakt — front desk
  • Turkish: resepsiyon — front desk
  • Ukrainian: прийма́льня (pryjmálʹnja) — front desk
  • Ukrainian: реєстрату́ра (rejestratúra) — front desk
  • Vietnamese: phòng lễ tân — front desk
  • Vietnamese: quầy lễ tân — front desk
  • Welsh: derbynfa — front desk
  • Finnish: vastaanotto — adoption of legal phenomena from a different culture
  • Russian: реце́пция (recépcija) — adoption of legal phenomena from a different culture
Real reading context

reception in complete knowledge articles