A written acknowledgment that something has been received, especially money; a document showing proof of purchase.
From Latin 'receptus,' past participle of 'recipere' meaning 'to take back' or 'receive,' built from 're-' (back) and 'capere' (to take). The word entered English through Old French 'receite.' Originally, a receipt was simply the act of receiving something, not a document. The paper receipt as proof of transaction developed with medieval merchants who needed to track complex trade deals.
The word 'receipt' literally means 'taken back' - it originally described the act of the seller taking back their goods in exchange for money! Medieval merchants created paper receipts because trade was becoming so complex that people needed proof of what had been 'received' by whom, transforming a simple verb into the little slips of paper we stuff in our wallets.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.