invent

verb in·vent \ in-ˈvent \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Definition of invent

invented; inventing; invents

1 archaic : find, discover

2 : to devise by thinking : fabricate

3 : to produce (something, such as a useful device or process) for the first time through the use of the imagination or of ingenious thinking and experiment

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inventor

play \in-ˈven-tər\ noun

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inventress

play \in-ˈven-trəs\ noun

See invent defined for English-language learners

See invent defined for kids

Examples of invent in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of invent from the Web

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — three dads whose kids were bored with their selection of summertime activities — were credited with inventing the sport.

— bethany ao, Philly.com, "How to play pickleball," 12 July 2018
This will be more challenging than inventing a way to remove or reuse the carbon in the atmosphere.

— adam mcgibbon, The New Republic, "There Is No Quick Fix for Climate Change," 11 June 2018
Ahh, the story of Holmes, the dedicated Stanford dropout who was set to save the world, one pinprick of blood at a time, by inventing, at 19 years old, a blood-testing start-up which was once valued at almost $10 billion.

— nick bilton, The Hive, "“She Absolutely Has Sociopathic Tendencies”: Elizabeth Holmes, Somehow, Is Trying to Start a New Company!," 8 June 2018
By inventing sentient life, Ford has taken da Vinci’s early sketches to their natural conclusion.

— sandra upson, WIRED, "Westworld Recap, Season 2 Episode 7: Decoding Da Vinci," 4 June 2018
More than three millennia before Charles Goodyear gets credit for inventing vulcanization, the Olmecs were making rubber in what is now southern Mexico, in 1600 B.C.

— susannah gardiner, Smithsonian, "How Native Civilizations Innovated to Conquer the Wilderness," 2 June 2018
The excitement has been thrilling for the owners, who want to honor the legacy of the restaurant — widely recognized for inventing the cheeseburger.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "80/20 at Kaelin's wants to honor restaurant's history - not imitate it," 24 May 2018
The company pumped funds into Digital Asset, a startup helmed by Blythe Masters, a former JPMorgan Chase executive credited, controversially, with inventing the credit default swap.

— robert hackett, Fortune, "How JPMorgan Chase Learned to Love the Blockchain," 24 May 2018
Today, he is credited with having invented more than 1,000 various foot treatment devices, sandals and sundries.

— philip potempa, Post-Tribune, "Dr. Scholl’s has left a footprint in Northwest Indiana," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'invent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of invent

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

invent Synonyms

Phrases

come up with;

INVENT Defined for English Language Learners

invent

verb

Definition of invent for English Language Learners

: to create or produce (something useful) for the first time
: to create or make up (something, such as a story) in order to trick people

INVENT Defined for Kids

invent

verb in·vent \ in-ˈvent \

Definition of invent for Students

invented; inventing

1 : to create or produce for the first time

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

2 : to think up : make up

She invented an excuse for being late.

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inventor

\-ˈvent-ər\ noun

Word Root of invent

The Latin word venīre, meaning “to come,” and its form ventus give us the roots ven and vent. Words from the Latin venīre have something to do with coming. To invent is to come up with a new idea or device that no one has thought of before. To convene is to come together for a purpose. An event is an occasion when many people come together.