proof of purchase

IPA/pɹˈuːf ɒv pˈɜːtʃɪs/
IPA/pɹˈuːf ʌv pˈɜːtʃɪs/

proof of purchase — noun

1. a document, message, or other record that shows you paid for something you bough

1.nounB1
Definition

a document, message, or other record that shows you paid for something you bought.

Example

The clerk asked Mira for proof of purchase before replacing the headphones.

ask for proof of purchase before a return

Ada saved the email receipt as proof of purchase for the washing machine.

use a receipt as proof of purchase

Common collocations
  • ask for proof of purchase
  • show proof of purchase
  • keep proof of purchase
  • without proof of purchase
Synonyms
  • receipt

    the most common everyday document used as proof of purchase, but the phrase is broader than a paper or digital receipt

  • order confirmation

    usually an email or webpage showing the purchase was placed, especially for online shopping

  • sales record

    more formal and often used by shops or customer-service staff rather than buyers

Grammar Patterns

proof of purchase for + noun phrase

use + noun phrase + as proof of purchase

without proof of purchase

Usage Note

Often appears after ask for, keep, show, or need. It is common in returns, exchanges, and warranty claims, and the proof can be a receipt, an order email, or a bank record.

Common Mistakes

I need a prove of purchase to return the blender.
I need proof of purchase to return the blender.
'proof' is the noun; 'prove' is the verb.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Proof of purchase' is the broad category term for anything that can show you really bought an item. A 'receipt' is the everyday document people usually hand over in a shop, so it is often the easiest form of proof of purchase. An 'order confirmation' is common in online shopping and may be enough when no paper receipt exists. An 'invoice' is different: it is usually a request for payment, not evidence that payment has already been made. So a customer may receive an invoice before paying, but later use a receipt or order confirmation as proof of purchase when asking for a return or warranty repair.

proof of purchase ↗receipt ↗order confirmationinvoice ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • proof of purchase email
  • proof of purchase document
  • proof of purchase request

Phrases

  • ask for proof of purchase
  • keep proof of purchase
  • show proof of purchase
  • use a receipt as proof of purchase

Prepositions

  • as proof of purchase
  • without proof of purchase

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

This retail phrase joins 'proof', meaning evidence, with 'purchase', meaning the act of buying something. As stores and manufacturers began to require records for returns, exchanges, and warranty service, English speakers used the phrase for whatever paper or digital record could show that an item had really been bought.