invent

English

Etymology

From Middle English inventen, borrowed from Old French inventer, from Latin inventus, perfect passive participle of inveniō (“come upon, meet with, find, discover”), from in (“in, on”) + veniō (“come”); see venture. Compare advent, covent, event, prevent, etc.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ɪnˈvɛnt/
  • Audio (GA)(file)
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛnt

Verb

invent (third-person singular simple present invents, present participle inventing, simple past and past participle invented)

  1. To design a new process or mechanism.
    After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
  2. To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
    I knew I had to invent an excuse, and quickly.
    We need a name to put in this form, so let's just invent one.
    Synonym: make up
  3. (obsolete) To come upon; to find; to discover.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.vi:
      Far off he wonders, what them makes so glad, / If Bacchus merry fruit they did inuent [...].

Synonyms

Translations
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Translations to be checked

Further reading
  • invent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
  • invent in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Catalan

Noun

invent m (plural invents)

  1. invention

Synonyms

Further reading
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