Explanation at your level:
A recipient is a person who gets something. If you send a letter, the person who gets it is the recipient. You are the sender, and they are the recipient. It is a very useful word for talking about mail or gifts.
When you give a gift to a friend, your friend is the recipient. This word is more formal than 'receiver.' We often use it in business when talking about who gets an email or a package.
The word recipient is commonly used in professional contexts. For example, if you apply for a scholarship, you hope to be the recipient of the money. It is a standard term in formal letters and official announcements.
In B2 English, you will notice recipient used to distinguish between the sender and the receiver in formal communication. It is frequently used in collocations like 'intended recipient' or 'award recipient' to add clarity and professional tone to your writing.
At the C1 level, recipient is used to denote the passive participant in a transaction or communication. It is often employed in academic or legal discourse to define the subject of an action. Understanding its nuance helps in drafting formal reports and formal correspondence where precision is required.
Mastery of recipient involves recognizing its role in formal registers. It appears in contexts ranging from international diplomacy to legal contracts. Its etymological link to 'receptacle' provides a deep understanding of its function: one who 'takes in' or 'holds' what is delivered. It is a hallmark of sophisticated, professional English.
Mot en 30 secondes
- A person who receives
- Formal term
- Common in business
- Countable noun
Think of the word recipient as the 'receiver' in a formal setting. If you send a package, the person who opens it at the other end is the recipient. It is a very common word in professional emails and official documents.
While you could just say 'the person who got it,' using recipient makes your language sound more precise and professional. It works for physical objects, like a trophy, or abstract things, like a message or a scholarship.
The word recipient comes from the Latin word recipere, which means 'to take back' or 'to receive.' It traveled through Old French before settling into English in the 17th century.
It shares a root with the word receptacle, which is a container for holding things. Historically, it was used to describe someone who took something into their care, evolving from a simple act of taking to the formal status of being an official receiver.
You will see recipient most often in formal writing. It is a staple in business correspondence, such as 'The intended recipient of this email.' It is also very common in news reports about awards, like 'the recipient of the Nobel Prize.'
Avoid using it in very casual conversation with friends, as it might sound a bit stiff. Instead of saying 'Who is the recipient of the pizza?', just say 'Who is getting the pizza?'
While recipient itself is a noun, it appears in many set phrases. 1. Intended recipient: The person meant to get the item. 2. Award recipient: Someone honored with a prize. 3. Recipient of bad news: Someone who hears something unfortunate. 4. Sole recipient: The only person getting something. 5. Email recipient: The person addressed in a digital message.
The plural is recipients. It is a countable noun, so you can say 'a recipient' or 'the recipients.' It is often followed by the preposition 'of,' as in 'the recipient of the gift.'
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈsɪp.i.ənt/. The stress is on the second syllable: re-SIP-i-ent. It rhymes loosely with 'insipient' or 'deficient' in its rhythm.
Fun Fact
It shares a root with 'recipe'!
Pronunciation Guide
Clear and crisp
Slightly faster
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the 'p' sound
- Swallowing the 'i' in the middle
- Stressing the wrong syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Noun usage
The recipient is here.
Examples by Level
I am the recipient of this gift.
I am the person getting the gift.
Use 'the' before recipient.
The recipient of the letter was happy.
Please write the name of the recipient.
Who is the recipient of the award?
The package has a recipient name.
I am not the intended recipient.
The recipient signed for the box.
Each recipient got a prize.
The list of recipients is long.
She was the recipient of a prestigious scholarship.
The email was sent to the wrong recipient.
The charity helps every recipient in need.
Please inform the recipient of the change.
The award recipient gave a speech.
The recipient must be over eighteen.
The bank notified the recipient of the transfer.
The recipient confirmed the delivery.
As the sole recipient of the inheritance, he was surprised.
The system automatically identifies the message recipient.
The recipient of the organ transplant is recovering well.
She was a frequent recipient of his generous advice.
The intended recipient never received the confidential file.
The organization tracks every aid recipient.
The recipient of the Nobel Prize will be announced today.
The recipient list was updated yesterday.
The recipient of the grant is required to submit a report.
The recipient of the data must ensure its security.
The recipient of the criticism took it very well.
The recipient of the message was clearly confused.
The recipient of the honorary degree stood up.
The recipient of the donation remained anonymous.
The recipient of the letter had moved away.
The recipient of the signal was the satellite.
The recipient of the diplomatic cable was the ambassador.
The recipient of the legacy was a distant relative.
The recipient of the accolades remained humble.
The recipient of the instruction followed it precisely.
The recipient of the warning chose to ignore it.
The recipient of the mandate was the local council.
The recipient of the blessing felt moved.
The recipient of the feedback implemented the changes.
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"on the receiving end"
to be the person who gets something
I was on the receiving end of his anger.
neutralEasily Confused
Sounds similar
Receipt is the paper, recipient is the person.
I have the receipt for the recipient.
Sentence Patterns
The recipient of [noun] is [name].
The recipient of the prize is John.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Recipient is the one who gets, sender is the one who gives.
Tips
When to use it
Use it in formal emails.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Re-cip-ient: Think of 'Recipe' - you receive the ingredients.
Visual Association
A person catching a ball.
Word Web
Défi
Identify the recipient in your next email.
Origine du mot
Latin
Original meaning: To take back
Contexte culturel
None.
Standard in formal business and legal English.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Business
- intended recipient
- recipient list
- notify recipient
Conversation Starters
"Who was the last recipient of a gift you gave?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you were the recipient of an award.
Questions fréquentes
1 questionsNo, organizations can be recipients too.
Teste-toi
The ___ of the gift smiled.
The person getting the gift is the recipient.
What is a recipient?
Recipient means to receive.
A recipient is always a person.
It can be an organization too.
Word
Signification
They are synonyms.
Standard subject-verb structure.
Score : /5
Summary
A recipient is simply the person or thing on the receiving end.
- A person who receives
- Formal term
- Common in business
- Countable noun
When to use it
Use it in formal emails.
Exemple
She was the recipient of the award.
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