Offeree

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɒfəˈɹiː/

Definitions

1. A person or organization that is presented with a proposal for a contract and has the option to accept its terms is classified as this specific party
2. In the context of agreements, this term identifies the entity that stands to accept an offer made by another party during negotiations
3. This specific designation refers to an individual or entity that receives a formal proposal for a contract and holds the right to either accept or reject it

Etymology: Offeree is a formation from "offer" plus the suffix "-ee", and the suffix is the more interesting half. "-ee" came into English through Old French "-é", from Latin "-ātus", a participle ending that marked the person on the receiving end of an action. Its earliest English uses were in legal and feudal contexts, where a grantee received a grant, and a lessee received a lease. Offeree follows that pattern: it names the party to whom an offer is made, the one at the receiving end of the proposal. The "-ee" suffix is thus a passive marker, and the base word carries the active meaning. "Offer" itself descends from Latin "offerre", "to bring before", which English took in through Old French "offrir". The combination of an English base with a French-derived suffix is typical of the many legal and commercial coinages of the Middle English period, and "offeree" belongs to that same family of formations built on the pattern of "employee" and "trustee".

Synonyms: recipient, acceptor, candidate, prospect, subject