receptacle

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
receptacle
    n 1: a container that is used to put or keep things in
    2: enlarged tip of a stem that bears the floral parts
    3: an electrical (or electronic) fitting that is connected to a
       source of power and equipped to receive an insert
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Receptacle \Re*cep"ta*cle\ (r[-e]*s[e^]p"t[.a]*k'l), n. [F.
   r['e]ceptacle, L. receptaculum, fr. receptare, v. intens. fr.
   recipere to receive. See {Receive}.]
   1. That which serves, or is used, for receiving and
      containing something, as for examople, a {basket}, a
      {vase}, a {bag}, a {reservoir}; a {repository}.
      [1913 Webster]

            O sacred receptacle of my joys!       --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Bot.)
      (a) The apex of the flower stalk, from which the organs of
          the flower grow, or into which they are inserted. See
          Illust. of {Flower}, and {Ovary}.
      (b) The dilated apex of a pedicel which serves as a common
          support to a head of flowers.
      (c) An intercellular cavity containing oil or resin or
          other matters.
      (d) A special branch which bears the fructification in
          many cryptogamous plants.
          [1913 Webster]
    
from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
107 Moby Thesaurus words for "receptacle":
      amnion, androecium, anther, autoclave, bag, basket, billy, bladder,
      bleb, blister, boll, botany, box, bucket, caddy, cage, calyx, can,
      canister, capsule, carpel, case, casket, casserole, cell, chest,
      china, chinaware, coaster, compote, container, corolla,
      corolla tube, corona, crock, crucible, cyst, dish, epicalyx,
      fistula, follicle, gallbladder, gallipot, garbage can, gynoecium,
      hod, holdall, holder, hopper, legume, loculus, magazine, marsupium,
      megasporophyll, microsporophyll, mortar, mortarboard, pail,
      palette, patera, perianth, pericarp, petal, pistil, pitcher, plate,
      platter, pocket, pod, powder horn, receiver, reliquary, repository,
      sac, saccule, sacculus, saccus, salver, saucer, scrotum, scuttle,
      seedcase, silique, sinus, slop pail, sound, stamen, stigma,
      stomach, style, tableware, tin, torus, trash can, tray, trencher,
      udder, utensil, vasculum, vat, ventricle, vesica, vesicle, vessel,
      waiter, wastepaper basket, watering can

    

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