invent

in·vent

transitive verb \in-ˈvent\

Definition of INVENT

1

archaic : find, discover

2

: to devise by thinking : fabricate

3

: to produce (as something useful) for the first time through the use of the imagination or of ingenious thinking and experiment

— in·ven·tor \-ˈven-tər\ noun

— in·ven·tress \-ˈven-trəs\ noun

Examples of INVENT

1. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
2. She is credited with inventing a procedure that has helped to save thousands of lives.
3. She invented a clever excuse.
4. We found out that he had invented the stories he told us about his military service.

Origin of INVENT

Middle English, from Latin inventus, past participle of invenire to come upon, find, from in- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to INVENT

Synonyms

concoct, construct, contrive, cook (up), devise, drum up, excogitate, fabricate, make up, manufacture, think (up), trump up, vamp (up), come up with

Related Words

coin, design, hatch, produce; daydream, dream, fantasize; conceive, envisage, envision, imagine, picture, vision, visualize; ad-lib, extemporize, improvise

Near Antonyms

clone, copy, copycat, duplicate, imitate, mimic, reduplicate, replicate, reproduce

Rhymes with INVENT

absent, accent, Advent, anent, ascent, assent, augment, besprent, cement, comment, consent, content, convent, descent, detent, dissent, docent, event, extent, ferment, foment, fragment, frequent, hell-bent, indent, intent, lament, loment, low-rent, mordent, outspent, percent, pigment, portent, present, prevent, pup tent, quitrent, rack-rent, relent, repent, resent, segment, Shymkent, Tashkent, torment, well-meant, wisent