Recieve or Receive: Which Spelling Is Correct? (With Examples)
Recieve and receive look like spelling variants, but only one of them is a real word. Receive is the correct spelling of the verb meaning to get or accept something (“receive a gift”), while recieve is simply a misspelling — it appears in no dictionary and marks your writing as careless the moment a spellchecker flags it. The fix takes one glance: the c forces the letters into ei, not ie.
Quick Answer
| Word | Part of Speech | Main Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recieve | — (misspelling) | not a word; a common error | “Please recieve my thanks” ❌ (wrong) |
| Receive | verb | to get, accept, or be given something | “Please receive my thanks.” ✅ |
Simple rule: receive is always spelled with -cei- — the c makes the e jump ahead of the i (“i before e, except after c”).
What Does Recieve Mean?
Recieve means nothing at all — it is one of the most common misspellings in English, produced by writers who remember “i before e” but forget the “except after c” exception. You will see it in hastily written emails and forum posts, and every appearance is an error. The Merriam-Webster entry for receive lists only the -cei- spelling; recieve has no entry anywhere.
- “I hope to recieve your reply soon.” → should be receive
- “Did you recieve the package?” → should be receive
- “Applicants will recieve confirmation by email.” → should be receive
- “He recieved an award last night.” → should be received
- “The team recieves daily updates.” → should be receives
What Does Receive Mean?
Receive is the verb for getting, accepting, or being given something — a letter, a gift, a signal, a guest, or an honor. It covers physical delivery (“receive a parcel”), communication (“receive a text”), and experience (“receive a warm welcome”).
- “She will receive her diploma at graduation.”
- “Did you receive my email about the schedule change?”
- “The charity received over a thousand donations.”
- “The antenna receives signals from the satellite.”
- “He received a standing ovation after the performance.”
Recieve vs. Receive: Key Differences
| Feature | Recieve | Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Correctness | Always wrong | Always correct |
| Letter order | -cie- (violates the rule) | -cei- (follows “except after c”) |
| Dictionary status | No entry in any dictionary | Full verb entry with many senses |
| Related forms | “recieved,” “recieving” are also wrong | received, receiving, receipt |
| Why it happens | Overapplying “i before e” | Remembering the “after c” exception |
| Spellchecker | Always flagged as an error | Passes everywhere |
This is not a choice between two options — it is one correct spelling with a very persistent wrong lookalike, much like the pair dieing or dying, where only one survives scrutiny.
Recieve and Receive in Real Sentences
At Home
Recieve: “Mom, did you recieve my birthday card?” (as it often appears in texts)
Receive: “Mom, did you receive my birthday card?” (the corrected version)
The first is what thumbs type in a hurry; the second is what spellcheck expects.
At Work
Recieve: “Please confirm you recieved the contract.”
Receive: “Please confirm you received the contract.”
In professional writing the misspelling stands out immediately — clients notice sloppy -cie-.
In Conversation
Recieve: “I never recieve good news on Mondays.”
Receive: “I never receive good news on Mondays.”
Spoken aloud the two are identical, which is exactly why the error survives — only writing exposes it.
Common Mistakes
The ie/ei trap catches more than one word — tricky pairs like lier or liar show how often a single letter swap changes everything.
Mistake 1: Writing “recieve” in emails and applications
❌ “I look forward to recieving your feedback.”
✅ “I look forward to receiving your feedback.”
Why: the stem is receiv-, so every form — received, receiving, receiver — keeps the -cei- order.
Mistake 2: Overapplying “i before e” everywhere
❌ “I beleive you will recieve it.”
✅ “I believe you will receive it.”
Why: “i before e” holds only when no c precedes — believe has no c, so ie is right; receive has a c, so ei is right.
Mistake 3: Confusing “receive” with “receipt”
❌ “Please receipt this package on arrival.”
✅ “Please receive this package on arrival.”
Why: receipt is the noun (the paper slip); the verb for accepting the package is receive.
Mistake 4: Trusting autocorrect on the wrong word
❌ Typing “recieve” and assuming the phone fixed it.
✅ Typing “receive” and glancing at the suggestion bar.
Why: some keyboards learn your typos and stop flagging them — retrain the habit at the source instead.
Pronunciation
Receive is pronounced /rɪˈsiːv/ — “ruh-SEEV.” It rhymes with believe, deceive, and conceive — notice that deceive and conceive also hide a c before their ei, so the rule sings the same tune in every rhyme.
How to Remember the Difference
Lock onto the letters c–e–i: the c always drags the e in front of the i. Picture the c as a bouncer who only lets the e through the door first.
- re-CEI-ve — after c, the e goes first
- Rhymes with deCEIve and conCEIve — same pattern, same rule
- recIEve never appears in a dictionary — if you see ie after c, it is wrong
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it recieve or receive?
It is receive. Recieve is a misspelling — the correct form follows the rule “i before e, except after c.”
Why do so many people write “recieve”?
Because the rhyme “i before e” is famous while its “except after c” exception is forgotten — writers apply the first half of the rule and stop there.
Is “recieved” a word?
No. The past tense is received, the present participle is receiving — both keep the -cei- spelling.
What is the opposite of receive?
Depending on context: send, give, deliver, or reject.
Does “receipt” come from “receive”?
Yes — receipt (the noun for proof of purchase) shares the same Latin root, which is why the two words look like cousins.
Conclusion
Receive is the only correct spelling; recieve is an error born of a half-remembered rule. Remember that after c the e always goes first, and this particular spelling mistake will never touch your writing again.
