Receive or recieve?

The correct way to spell receive.

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Which is the correct spelling?

First, let's answer the question. Receive or recieve? Which is correct? The answer is simple: receive. Recieve is the incorrect spelling of this word.

People get confused with their 'ie' and 'ei'. It's not just the word receive that is a common misspelling. Most words featuring 'ei' and 'ie' are misspelt. Sometimes it's helpful to break the word down into chunks: rec ei ve.

When thinking about the word receive, a helpful rule is i before e, except after c. Receive follows this rule perfectly. There are some exceptions to the rule, such as science or sufficient. But most words follow the rule, and receive is one of them.

However, the rule isn't enough for many people to remember this, as receive is one of the most common misspellings people make. There are other methods you can use to remember the correct spelling. Another helpful way to remember the word is to consider roman numerals. Think of the phrase: I've told you before, received contains four. 

Let's look at that again: I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE, RECE IVE D CONTAINS FOUR. 

IV is four in roman numerals, and it allows you to highlight the accurate spelling of receive. 

So to remind you again, receive is correct, and recieve is wrong.

What is the definition of receive?

In the Oxford English Dictionary, receive is a verb with two definitions. The first meaning is: to be given something, paid, presented with something, or accept an item. And the second is: to experience or be subjected to something. 

Synonyms of receive:

If you're struggling with the spelling, and you're writing something where the correct spelling is important, you could always use a different word instead.

Other words to use could be: collect, get, acquire, or gain.

And here are some examples of words you could use in the other verb form: experience, undergo, suffer, or go through.

Where does the word come from?

Receive descends from the Latin recipere, which means to regain something or take something back. Latin is a language that has been influential in the evolution of many other languages, primarily Western European languages. It evolved into the Old French, receivre, which means taking hold of or seizing something. 

Recipere has also been the inspiration for the Spanish version of the word, as they use recibir

Examples of receive in a sentence

Let's look at some examples of using receive in a sentence. It's a popular word and gets used a lot: 

  • Did you receive the gift I sent you?
  • You will receive the correct amount of pay for your work. 
  • He needs to receive his mail.
  • I am looking forward to receiving the clothes I ordered.
  • You are expected to receive your reward later. 

Final thoughts

In this article, we've clarified a common misspelling, receive or recieve.

We've also discussed the meaning of receive, and looked at how to properly use it in a sentence. It's a very common word, but the 'ei' placement in the word means it often gets spelt wrong. 

To put it simply:

Receive = correct spelling.

Recieve = incorrect spelling.

Remember, you can use a couple of methods to remember the right spelling of receive. Or, you can think of the rule 'i before e, except after c'. That should help keep the proper spelling fresh in your mind. 

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