received

Received is the past participle of the verb receive. In ordinary usage, it denotes that something has been given, taken, accepted, or reported as having occurred. For example, “They have received several gifts” or “The message was received yesterday.” As an adjective, received describes something that is accepted, acknowledged, or generally regarded as correct or established. Phrases such as “the received view” or “the received pronunciation” use the term to signal conventional status.

Etymology and usage: received comes from Old French recevoir, from Latin recipere. In English, the past participle has developed adjectival uses, especially in fixed expressions or technical contexts. Two prominent specialized applications are “received pronunciation” and “the received text,” each indicating a standard or widely accepted form within a community.

Notable senses and examples:

- Received Pronunciation (RP): the traditional prestige accent of British English associated with educated speakers in southern England; widely discussed in linguistics, though its dominance has declined in recent decades.

- Received wisdom: a commonly held belief regarded as true, sometimes without strong evidence.

- Textual criticism: the “received text” (textus receptus) refers to the historically accepted edition of a text, notably used in discussions of the Greek New Testament.

- Social usage: to be received can also mean to be welcomed or admitted, as in “to be received into the club” or “to be received into the church.”

In contemporary writing, received often carries a nuance of conventional authority, while also inviting scrutiny when new evidence challenges established beliefs.