Receive is the standard spelling. Recieve is a misspelling that shows up a lot because the letters i and e feel easy to swap when you’re typing fast.
Quick Answer
Same in US and UK English: receive keeps the -ei- in every standard dictionary.
Meaning and Use
Receive is a verb that mainly means to get something that’s given, sent, or paid. It also works for welcoming someone (like guests) and for taking in signals (like a phone or radio). ✅Source
Common Objects People Receive
- receive an email
- receive a payment
- receive a gift
- receive feedback
- receive support
Meaning Nuance in Plain Terms
Receive focuses on the act of getting. Accept focuses on agreeing or taking something willingly. Sometimes they overlap, but they are not identical in meaning.
receiveacceptverb
Why the Spelling Trips People Up
The classic rhyme “i before e, except after c” pushes many people toward recieve. The twist is that receive is actually one of the words where the “after c” part lines up with the spelling: it uses ei right after c. ✅Source
Spelling pattern note: many verbs ending in -ceive share the same core letters (cei)—so receive, conceive, deceive, and perceive look like a small “family” in spelling.
Where the Spelling Comes From
Receive came into English through French, tracing back to Latin recipere (“to take back, take in”). That history helps explain why the spelling is stable as receive (not recieve) in modern standard English. ✅Source
Pronunciation and Stress
Receive is usually pronounced ri-SEEV, with the stress on the second syllable. In phonetic form you’ll often see /rɪˈsiːv/, which matches that strong second beat. ✅Source
- re- as a light first syllable (ri-)
- -ceive as the stressed part (SEEV)
- That sound pattern often makes the spelling feel “backwards,” which is why recieve pops up
Word Forms and Related Words
The spelling stays consistent across forms: receive keeps ei, and the ending changes in predictable ways (-s, -ing, -ed). The common slip is trying to move the letters and accidentally creating recieve or recieveing. Keep an eye on the cei core.
| Form | Correct Spelling | Common Wrong Spelling | Example (Original) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | ✅ receive | ❌ recieve | I receive the package on Monday. |
| Third-person singular | ✅ receives | ❌ recieves | She receives updates by email. |
| Past tense / past participle | ✅ received | ❌ recieved | We received your message. |
| Present participle | ✅ receiving | ❌ recieving | They are receiving support this week. |
Words That Often Travel With “Receive”
You’ll often see receive near words that describe what was received or how it arrived. These pairings are common in everyday writing, and they keep the receive spelling visible in context.
- receive payment / refund
- receive instructions / confirmation
- receive praise / recognition
- receive signals / data
A related spelling cluster appears in -ceive verbs (like deceive and conceive) and in words like receipt. They’re frequently taught together as examples of the “after c” pattern. ✅Source
Real Examples in Context
Everyday Writing
- I received the invoice this morning.
- Please receive my thanks for your help.
- She receives notifications on her phone.
More Formal Tone
- We received your request and will review it.
- The office received the documents on Friday.
- The device is receiving a signal now.
What you won’t see in standard writing: ❌ Wrong recieve. It’s treated as a spelling error, not an alternative form.
Common Lookalikes
Part of what makes receive tricky is that English has many words where ie and ei do different jobs. Some follow familiar patterns, some don’t, and that’s why recieve feels “plausible” even though it’s not standard.
- ✅ Correct receive
- Standard spelling for the verb meaning “to get” or “to take in”.
- ❌ Wrong recieve
- A common transposition of letters; not accepted in edited English.
- Related Spellings
- receipt, deceive, conceive, perceive share the cei look in key spots.
- Different Root Form
- reception and recipient are related in meaning, but they shift to recep- / recip- in spelling.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Which spelling is correct: receive or recieve?
✅ Correct receive is the accepted spelling in standard English. ❌ Wrong recieve is treated as a spelling mistake.
Why does “receive” use ei instead of ie?
In receive, the letters appear as ei because it matches a common pattern after c (the “except after c” idea). It’s one of the examples people cite when discussing that mnemonic, even though the “rule” has lots of exceptions overall.
Is “recieve” ever acceptable in US or UK English?
No. Recieve is not a standard variant in American or British usage. Editors and dictionaries treat it as an error.
How do you spell receiving and received?
Receiving and received keep the ei from receive. The common wrong forms are recieving and recieved, which flip the letters.
What are other words that look like receive?
Several related verbs share the -ceive pattern, such as perceive, deceive, and conceive. They often reinforce the same cei spelling shape in English.