acceptor

noun

ac·​cep·​tor ik-ˈsep-tər How to pronounce acceptor (audio)
ak-
1
: accepter sense 1
2
: one that accepts an order or a bill of exchange
3
: an atom, molecule, or subatomic particle capable of receiving another entity (such as an electron) especially to form a compound compare donor sense 3a

Examples of acceptor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Exposing the molecules to green light caused an electron to jump from the donor to the acceptor over a distance of about four nanometers. — Henrik Mouritsen, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2022 Magee’s brainwave was to install a device that had a coin acceptor and a dial to engage a timing mechanism. — Tony Borroz, WIRED, 13 May 2010 Inside your cells, those electrons move through a series of reactions toward oxygen, the final electron acceptor. — Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026 In 1969 engineers at Kokusai Shohin added a coin acceptor to the machine. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acceptor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acceptour (in the phrase acceptour of persones, translation of the Vulgate phrase personarum acceptor—Acts 10:34), borrowed from Latin acceptor, from accipere "to take, receive" + -tor, agent suffix — more at accept

First Known Use

1504, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acceptor was in 1504

Rhymes for acceptor

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Browse Nearby Words

acceptive
acceptor
acceptor for honor
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Cite this Entry

“Acceptor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acceptor. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

acceptor

noun
ac·​cep·​tor ik-ˈsep-tər, ak- How to pronounce acceptor (audio)
: an atom, molecule, or subatomic particle capable of receiving another entity (as an electron) especially to form a compound compare donor sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on acceptor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acceptor

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