TechnologyAugust 19, 2026

receivership

REE-see-ver-ship

Definition

The legal state in which an independent person or entity (a receiver) is appointed by a court to manage the assets and affairs of an organization that is experiencing severe financial or operational instability.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English 'receiven' (to take back or admit) combined with the suffix '-ship' indicating a state or condition. It has been used in legal contexts since the 19th century to refer to the official administration of an insolvent or mismanaged property.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe a past period when AFRINIC was under court-ordered management due to years of litigation and institutional failure, which informed the author's cautious approach to constitutional reform.

AFRINIC’s Constitution Is Africa’s Next Internet Stress Test

Read the full article ↗

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