receiver

UK: /rɪˈsiːvə^r/ US: /rɪˈsivɚ/ ,(ri sē′vər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ceiv•er /rɪˈsivɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a person or thing that receives.
2. Radio and Television a device or apparatus, as an earphone, radio, or television set, that receives electrical signals, waves, or the like and makes them into images or sounds that can be understood.
3. Law a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs of a bankrupt business or person.
4. Sport [Football.] a player on the offensive team who catches or is eligible to catch a forward pass.

See -ceive-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•ceiv•er  (ri sē′vər), n. 

1. a person or thing that receives.
2. Electronics, Radio and Television a device or apparatus that receives electrical signals, waves, or the like, and renders them perceptible to the senses, as the part of a telephone held to the ear, a radio receiving set, or a television receiving set.
3. Lawmaking a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs of a bankrupt business or person or to care for property in litigation.
4. Business [Com.] a person appointed to receive money due.
5. a person who knowingly receives stolen goods for an illegal purpose;
   a dealer in stolen merchandise.
6. a device or apparatus for receiving or holding something;
   receptacle;
   container.
7. (in a firearm) the basic metal unit housing the action and to which the barrel and other components are attached.
8. Chemistry a vessel for collecting and containing a distillate. See illus. under alembic. 
9. Sport [Football.] a player on the offensive team who catches, is eligible to catch, or is noted for the ability to catch a forward pass:
   Jones was the receiver of the first pass thrown. He sent all his receivers downfield.
10. Sport [Baseball.] the catcher.

• Anglo-French receivour, recevour (Old French recevere)
• 1300–50; 1875–80 for def. 2; receive + -er¹; replacing Middle English recevour

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

receiver / rɪˈsiːvə/ noun

1. a person who receives something; recipient
2. a person appointed by a court to manage property pending the outcome of litigation, during the infancy of the owner, or after the owner has been declared bankrupt or of unsound mind
3. a person who receives stolen goods knowing that they have been stolen
4. the equipment in a telephone, radio, or television that receives incoming electrical signals or modulated radio waves and converts them into the original audio or video signals
5. the part of a telephone containing the earpiece and mouthpiece that is held by the telephone user
6. an obsolete word for receptacle
7. a vessel in which the distillate is collected during distillation
8. a player whose function is to receive the ball, esp a footballer who catches long passes