How to pronounce receive
Say it like ruh-SEEV. Receive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce receive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ruh
- SEEV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Receive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ruhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- SEEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of receive
American and British speakers say receive in essentially the same way: /rəˈsiv/ in the US and /rɪˈsiːv/ in the UK.
British respelling: rih-SEEV.
What does receive mean?
- get something; come into possession of“receive payment”“receive a gift”
- receive a specified treatment (abstract)“These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation”“His movie received a good review”
- register (perceptual input)“pick up a signal”
Where does receive come from?
From Middle English receyven, from Old French receivre, from Latin recipere (“take back, accept, etc.”), from re- (“back”) + capiō (“to take”); see capacious.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with receive
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of receive.
Questions about saying receive
How do you pronounce receive?
Say ruh-SEEV. The American pronunciation is /rəˈsiv/. In British English it is /rɪˈsiːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in receive?
Receive has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SEEV). Broken into parts: ruh · SEEV.
Do Americans and Brits say receive the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /rəˈsiv/ and the British form is /rɪˈsiːv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.