inventory

¹in·ven·to·ry

noun \ˈin-vən-ˌtȯr-ē\

plural in·ven·to·ries

Definition of INVENTORY

1

a : an itemized list of current assets: as (1) : a catalog of the property of an individual or estate (2) : a list of goods on hand b : a survey of natural resources c : a list of traits, preferences, attitudes, interests, or abilities used to evaluate personal characteristics or skills

2

: survey, summary

3

: the quantity of goods or materials on hand : stock

4

: the act or process of taking an inventory

— in·ven·to·ri·al \ˌin-vən-ˈtȯr-ē-əl\ adjective

— in·ven·to·ri·al·ly \-ē-ə-lē\ adverb

Examples of INVENTORY

1. We made an inventory of the library's collection.
2. The dealer keeps a large inventory of used cars and trucks.
3. Inventories at both stores were low.
4. How can a small business afford to keep so much inventory?
5. We'll be doing inventory on the collection soon.

Origin of INVENTORY

Middle English inventarie, inventorie, from Anglo-French inventaire, inventorie, from Latin inventarium, from inventum thing found, topic, neuter of inventus

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to INVENTORY

Synonyms: budget, force, fund, supply, pool, repertoire, reservoir, stock

Related Words: reserve, resource; cache, hoard, stockpile; refill, renewal, replacement; kitty, nest egg, pot, purse; fountain, mine, source, spring, well, wellspring

Near Antonyms: amplification, enlargement, expansion; addendum, supplement

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

Rhymes with INVENTORY

a priori, allegory, amatory, auditory, bedtime story, cacciatore, castratory, category, con amore, cover story, crematory, damnatory, decretory, dilatory, dormitory, excretory, expletory, feudatory, fumitory, Göteborg, gustatory, gyratory, horror story, hortatory, hunky-dory, laudatory, lavatory, mandatory, migratory, minatory, monitory, Montessori, morning glory, nugatory, offertory, oratory, overstory, piscatory, precatory, predatory, prefatory, probatory, promissory, promontory, purgatory, repertory, Ruwenzori, signatory, statutory, sudatory, territory, transitory, understory, vibratory, vomitory, yakitori