receptacle

Definition

A container.

Etymology

From Middle English receptacle, from Anglo-Norman receptacle and Middle French receptacle (“organ containing a fluid; gathering place; water basin”) (modern French réceptacle), from Latin receptāculum (“animal enclosure, container, place of refuge, receptacle, repository, reservoir, shelter”), from receptāre (“to harbour, to receive, to shelter”) or receptō (“I receive back or again, I recover”), frequentative of recipiō (“I receive; I hold back, I reserve”) (from re- (“back, again”) + capiō (“I hold”)) + -culum (suffix forming nouns from verbs, particularly nouns representing tools and instruments); cognate with Italian recettaculo, ricettaculo, Portuguese receptáculo, Spanish receptáculo.

Example Sentences

• "“Divine receptacle of excellence, let it not be deemed impertinent, or deviating from the rules of propriety, if I propound one queſtion which now labours in my breaſt; aſſuring me firſt, you will not let the ſceptre of true judgment depart from your right hand.”"
• "Darkness had no effect upon my fancy; and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm."
• "It must be conceded that a common poor-house is by no means a fit receptacle for lunatics, under any consideration either of the cure of the patients, or the comfort of the other inmates."