/ɹɪˈsivəbəlz/
Say it backReceivables refers to amounts owed to a business that are expected to be collected within a short period, typically from customers on credit. The term is commonly used in accounting and finance to describe money due from clients for goods or services already delivered. It represents current assets on the balance sheet and is often paired with payables and other liquid assets.
"The company reported higher receivables this quarter as sales increased on credit terms."
"We need to age the receivables to assess collection risk and estimate bad debt."
"The CFO reviewed the receivables turnover ratio to measure liquidity efficiency."
pronunciation: /rɪˈsiːv.ə.bəlz/ in US, UK, and AU. Primary stress on the second syllable: re-CEE-vuh-buhls? Wait: more precise: /rɪˈsiː.və.bəlz/. Break into four syllables: ri-CEE-vuh-buhls. The first vowel is a short /ɪ/; the second is a long /iː/ in the stressed syllable; the third is schwa /ə/; final is /bəlz/, with z-voicing. Mouth positions: start with a quick /r/ tap, then reduce the first syllable; glide into a long /iː/ with a tense jaw; follow with a schwa and a light /b/ before a dark /l/ and final /z/. For listening reference, compare with “receive” and “receivable” in dictionaries; you’ll hear the final /z/ in most contexts.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (often placing primary stress on the first syllable as re-CEI- instead of ri-CEE-), mispronouncing the final cluster as /-blz/ without clear /l/ and /z/ separation, and hogging the /iː/ or turning it into /ɪ/. Correct by: keeping secondary syllable long /iː/ and using a clear /v/ + /ə/ before the /bəlz/ ending; ensure final /z/ is voiced, not devoiced; practice with minimal pairs like receive/receivable to lock the stress shift.
US/UK/AU share /rɪˈsiː.və.bəlz/ with rhotic rhoticity in US; UK and AU similarly pronounce the /r/ less; the stressed /iː/ remains long; regional vowel qualities may slightly shift the /ə/ to a reduced schwa in less careful speech. AU can be slightly more clipped and non-rhotic in some dialects, but in general business speech keeps the /r/ in US, rolling into /ə/ and final /blz/. Overall, the core IST remains ri-CEE-vuh-buhls across accents.
Because of the multi-syllable structure and a consonant cluster followed by a voiced final, it challenges: proper stress placement on the second syllable, maintaining a clear /v/ before the /ə/ and /b/; ensuring the final /bz/ sequence is voiced without nasalization; and avoiding a trailing 's' confusion in pluralized form. Focus on: ri-CEE-vuh-buhls, with the final voiced /z/.
No, receivables is pronounced with all letters heard in typical usage: /rɪˈsiː.və.bəlz/. The plural -s is pronounced as /-z/, not silent. The /e/ in the second syllable is a clear long /iː/ sound; the -ble ending is articulated as /bəl/ with z at the end in most contexts.
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Receivables comes from the noun receivable, formed from the verb receive with the suffix -able, meaning capable of being received. The broader root is the Latin recipere (to take back, to receive) via Old French recevoir, then Middle English receive. The plural form derives from standard English pluralization adding -s to -able nouns. The term appears in business and accounting to denote assets that are expected to be converted into cash within a short timeframe, typically 30 to 90 days. Historical use in accounting evolved as trade credit became widespread in mercantile practice, with receivables used to classify amounts owed by customers. Over time, the phrase receivables (short for accounts receivable) became standardized in financial reporting and auditing as part of current assets on the balance sheet, distinguishing amounts that are collectible from longer-term receivables and other receivable types like notes receivable. First known usage traces to early accounting texts in the 19th century, aligning with expanding commercial credit and formalized bookkeeping practices. The word’s sense has remained stable: a monetary claim due from customers arising from goods or services rendered. In modern finance, receivables are analyzed for liquidity, aging, and credit risk, often segmented into trade receivables and other receivables in consolidated financial statements.
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Words that rhyme with "receivables"
-les sounds
-ers sounds
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