Word for someone who has accepted something

Question

I was programming away today when I needed a variable name, the variable holds people who have accepted something.

So my question is, is "Acceptee" a word? And if not what is the acceptable word?

Answer 1

In the OED the word acceptee has two senses. In the first of them it essentially means the same thing as acceptor (or accepter) - which is quite unlike the relationship between trainer and trainee.

So in answer to the OP's question it could be acceptor, accepter, or acceptee.

When it comes to a person who is accepted, acceptor and acceptee stand in the same relationship to one another as trainer and trainee.

1. A person who accepts or agrees to something; a recipient; spec. (in early use) = acceptor n. 1c.

1942 Billboard 9 May 31/3 Response..to participation in the Army and Navy War Relief Fund drive has been gratifying... Advertising matter showing participation in the plan is being forwarded to all acceptees.

1982 Los Angeles Times 29 Apr. vi. 1/4 The acceptees will have—always in inverse proportion to the majesty of the award—a few dozen thanks to give.

2. A person who is accepted; a person who gets acceptance.

1972 Afr. Stud. Rev. 15 484 Some districts seek to expand places in primary schools even with formally unqualified teachers, hoping thereby to assure a larger group of lucky acceptees into secondary schools.

2005 H. Cloud & J. Townsend Rescue your Love Life iv. 113
Acceptance is based on the acceptor's love and the acceptee's need.

Answer 2

I would understand an acceptee as a person that is accepted, not the person that accepted anything.

The active form would be accepter (see M-W): one that accepts.

The same pattern you see in

trainer -> trainee

Answer 3

It depends on what the person is accepting. If a person accepts something abstract, like "terms and conditions" of an agreement, the word would be "accepter." However, if a person accepts something like a package, the word "recipient" may be more appropriate.