What is receptacle?

Answer 1

A container or devise that holds something

A "receptacle" in electrical jargon is what most people call an outlet. The above answer is correct in that it gets its name from the fact it holds something -- a plug.

In pure electrical jargon, in the United States, an "outlet" is the box that contains a switch or receptacle or from which a fixture is wired. So when you read the NEC, an outlet is the box, not the device or equipment contained in the box.

Answer 2

A receptacle is a container or device used to hold or store something. It can refer to a variety of objects such as electrical outlets, trash cans, or containers for collecting and storing items.

Answer 3

In electricity it is any male type input device you mount in the wall that is wired to the electrical service and you then use to plug something into to access power.