receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or inclined to receive

especially : open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory

3

of a female animal : willing to copulate with a male

a receptive mare

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈti-və-tē 

ri-

noun

Synonyms

• broad-minded
• open
• open-minded

Examples of receptive in a Sentence

I was happy to be speaking before such a receptive audience.

needed a partner who was receptive to new ways of managing the business

Recent Examples on the Web

Milwaukee was chosen because it was deemed a receptive community with a good physical location for the event. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 20 May 2024

Advertisement The Santa Cruz strike would be the first of potentially several work stoppages that the union intends to launch one by one across campuses based on how receptive administrations are to pro-Palestinian activists’ demands. —Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: able or willing to receive especially ideas

2

: able to receive and pass on stimuli

the receptive part of the retina

receptively adverb

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

ri-

noun

Medical Definition

receptive

adjective

re·​cep·​tive ri-ˈsep-tiv 

1

: open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestions

2

a

of a sensory end organ : fit to receive and transmit stimuli

b

: sensory sense 1

receptiveness noun

receptivity

ˌrē-ˌsep-ˈtiv-ət-ē, ri- 

noun

plural receptivities