2 syllables: Re, ceipt. Stress on ceipt.
ris-EET
/ɹɪˈsit/
Receipt is pronounced ris-EET (/ɹɪˈsit/). It has two syllables (Re-ceipt), with the stress on "ceipt". Receipt is a noun meaning a written acknowledgment that a payment has been received, or the act of receiving something. It traditionally refers to a document issued by a seller, but can also denote the right to obtain goods. In everyday use, it also appears in phrases like “receipt of grant funds.” The term has historical ties to receipt as a record-keeping concept in commerce and accounting.
nounReceipt is a noun meaning a written acknowledgment that a payment has been received, or the act of receiving something. It traditionally refers to a document issued by a seller, but can also denote the right to obtain goods. In everyday use, it also appears in phrases like “receipt of grant funds.” The term has historical ties to receipt as a record-keeping concept in commerce and accounting.
How to Pronounce Receipt
"Please sign the receipt to confirm you received the package."
"Keep your receipt in case you need to return the item."
"The cashier handed me the receipt after I paid."
Pronounce it as ri-SEE-t, with primary stress on the second syllable: /rɪˈsiːt/. Start with a quick /r/ tap, follow with a short /ɪ/ as in kit, then a long /iː/ as in seen, and finish with a light /t/. In connected speech, the /t/ may be softened, but keep the /siː/ nucleus clear. Audio reference: you can compare with standard dictionaries’ pronunciations and speaker samples for verification.
Two common errors: (1) giving the second syllable a short vowel as in red (/ˈrɛsɪt/), instead of /rɪˈsiːt/; (2) dropping or heavily muting the final /t/, producing /rɪˈsiː/ or /rɪˈsiːd/. Correct by ensuring a clear /siː/ nucleus and re-adding a light, unreleased or softly released final /t/ depending on pace. Practice with minimal pairs and emphasize the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable.
In US/UK/AU, the core is /rɪˈsiːt/. The vowel in /siː/ remains long in all, but rhotic variation affects preceding /r/: US and AU are rhotic with pronounced /r/; UK typically non-rhotic in many dialects, but when linking with vowels, you may hear a reduced /r/ quality. Vowel length and lip rounding stay similar; the main differences come from /t/ realization in rapid speech and from the surrounding vowels in connected speech.
The difficulty arises from the silent-ish terminal sound and the long vowel in the stressed syllable. The sequence /siː/ is a long vowel requiring a high, tense tongue position, followed by a voiceless alveolar /t/. Learners often misplace stress or pronounce /r/ too strongly in non-rhotic variants. Practice by isolating /siː/ with a held vowel and then releasing into a light /t/ to secure the final consonant sound.
Yes, in careful pronunciation you typically articulate a light /t/ at the end; in rapid conversation you may hear an unreleased or almost silent /t/ or a glottal stop before a pause, depending on accent. Focus on finishing with a crisp alveolar stop /t/ when speaking clearly, then practice faster speech where the /t/ slots into the transition to the next word.
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Receipt derives from the Old French reçeue (Modern French reçu), originating from Latin recepta, the feminine past participle of recipere ‘to take back, to receive.’ In Middle English, receipt entered with sense related to receiving and taking in, evolving to the written acknowledgment today. The semantic trajectory tracks commerce and administration: early medieval merchants used “receit” or “recept” to denote a record of goods taken, later standardized as a formal document proving payment or delivery. By the 16th century, receipt broadened to include the document serving as evidence of payment and to the process of receiving goods in bookkeeping. The word’s masculine and feminine forms in various languages reflect the Latin root recipere (to take back) and the French réception, contributing to its cross-continental adoption in legal and commercial texts. Over time, “receipt” became a staple technical term in accounting, retail, and logistical workflows, with the spelling stabilizing around the modern English form across varieties of English. First known uses appear in legal and mercantile records from the 16th century onward, with earlier attestations in Latin-based clerical texts indicating the act of receiving or taking back goods.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Receipt" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Receipt"
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