The correct spelling is **”receipt”** — with a silent “p” that trips up more people than almost any other word in English. According to Merriam-Webster, the word traces back to Latin *recipere* (“to receive”), and English kept the “p” in the spelling even though it stopped being pronounced centuries ago.
**Why the Silent “P” Trips People Up**
Many English words borrowed from Latin or French kept letters that reflect their origin, even after pronunciation changed. “Receipt” is a classic example: the silent “p” is a fossil of its Latin root, sitting quietly in the spelling while your mouth skips right over it.
**The “I Before E” Trap**
“Receipt” actually follows the classic rule — *i before e, except after c* — since it’s spelled “cei,” not “cie.” But because that rule has so many exceptions elsewhere (“weird,” “seize,” “science”), people often second-guess themselves and flip it anyway.
**Examples**
– ✅ “Keep your receipt in case you need to return the item.”
– ❌ “Keep your reciept in case you need to return the item.”
– ❌ “Keep your receit in case you need to return the item.”
**An Easy Way to Remember It**
Break it into two chunks: **re-ceipt**. If you remember that “ceipt” always keeps its silent “p,” you’ll never drop it again.
**Silent Letters Are Sneaky**
Silent letters like the “p” in “receipt” are some of the most common typo triggers in English, especially in words borrowed from Latin or French. A grammar checker Chrome extension like TypoGuard catches these spelling slips instantly, so you don’t have to memorize every silent letter in the dictionary.
Want to stop double-checking every receipt? Install TypoGuard for free and let it catch the tricky spellings for you.
