receiver
rih-SEE-ver
/rɪˈsiːvər/
The handset of a telephone containing the earpiece and mouthpiece, or the person who answers a call.
Refers physical hardware held to the ear or abstractly to the entity taking a transmission.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'recipere' ('re-' back + 'capere' to take). In telecommunications, the 'receiver' took incoming electrical impulses from the wire and converted them back into acoustic sound waves audible to the listener's ear.
Word relationships
- handset: Handset emphasizes the physical phone piece you hold, whereas receiver stresses the signal-receiving audio piece.
- transmitter: A transmitter sends out the signal, whereas a receiver catches incoming telecommunication signals.
Commonly confused with
- speakerphone: A receiver is held close to the ear for private listening, whereas a speakerphone broadcasts audio to the open room.
Word family
- receive (verb): To take or get something given or sent.
- reception (noun): The quality of a telephone signal.
Collocations
- pick up the receiver
- replace the receiver
- cradle the receiver
- handset receiver
Example sentences
- "He picked up the receiver from its cradle to take the call." Traditional office setup
Memory hook
RECEIVER RECEIVES your call when you lift it off the cradle. The piece that receives sound.
When not to use
Do not confuse with radio signal receivers in broadcast engineering when speaking of phone hardware.
Fun facts
- Early telephone receivers required listeners to hold a heavy magnet tube to their ear while speaking into a wall box.
Related words
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