I Before E Except After C, and Receive Is the Proof
To receive is to be given something. The spelling is the standard example of a rule that has more exceptions than most people expect.
To receive is to take or accept something that is given or sent. Its spelling is the textbook case for *i before e except after c* — and the rule works reliably only when the sound is *ee*. Weird, foreign, seize, protein and their and neighbour all break the simple version.
- To be given something. *Receive a letter.*
- To welcome. *They received us warmly.*
- To pick up a signal. *The aerial receives digital channels.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | receive | Receive the goods. |
| Past | received | Received with thanks. |
| Noun | receipt | A signed receipt. |
| Person | recipient | The recipient's name. |
| Noun | receiver | A radio receiver. |
How it is used in a sentence
- We received your application on Monday.The plain sense.
- The play was well received.Meaning favourably reviewed.
- Received pronunciation is a British accent standard.Received here means generally accepted.
When the rule fails
- After c, but not ee — ancient, efficient, science
- Not after c, still ei — seize, weird, protein, caffeine
- Sounded as ay — neighbour, weigh, eight
- Plurals — currencies, agencies keep the i
- Names — Keith, Sheila and Neil ignore it entirely
From Old French *receivre*, from Latin *recipere*, to take back, from *re-* and *capere*, to take — the same verb as in *capture*, *accept* and *capable*.
Does *i before e* actually work?
Only for the *ee* sound. Even then there are exceptions such as seize and protein, so it is a guide rather than a rule.
Receive or recieve?
Receive. The e comes first because the letter before it is c.