invention

noun

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in·ven·tion | \ in-ˈven(t)-shən

Definition of invention

1a : something invented: such as

(1) : a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment

(2) : a product of the imagination especially : a false conception

b : a short keyboard composition featuring two- or three-part counterpoint

2 : the act or process of inventing

3 : productive imagination : inventiveness

4 : discovery, finding

Synonyms What is the difference between innovation and invention? Example Sentences Learn More About invention

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What is the difference between innovation and invention?

The words innovation and invention overlap semantically but are really quite distinct.

Invention can refer to a type of musical composition, a falsehood, a discovery, or any product of the imagination. The sense of invention most likely to be confused with innovation is “a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment,” usually something which has not previously been in existence.

Innovation, for its part, can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. One might say that the first telephone was an invention, the first cellular telephone either an invention or an innovation, and the first smartphone an innovation.

Examples of invention in a Sentence

The light bulb was one of the most important inventions of the 19th century. The stories he told about his military service were just inventions. His explanation was pure invention. Parts of the movie were accurate, but much of it was invention. the invention of a new product the invention of a false story an artist with exceptional powers of invention

Recent Examples on the Web News of Black's invention was welcomed by some on Twitter. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2021 In the same way that the invention of the cellphone created the loud call in a restaurant, the smartphone has made public videography a mild but pervasive nuisance. — Dan Brooks, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2021 Necessity is the mother of a movie like Together — a quirky COVID-era invention that essentially plays out like the film-length version of a bottle episode. — Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2021 The Biden administration saw this latest invention of pop culture as an opportunity. — Ingrid Chung, National Review, 24 Aug. 2021 Earlier this year, controversy surrounded the feature when a Los Angeles Times article disputed Montañez’s role in the beloved snack’s invention, backed up by statements from Frito-Lay. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 23 Aug. 2021 The invention of cupellation some 3,000 years later allowed people to separate silver and gold from impure metals, releasing elements like copper, tin and lead, which became partly vaporized. — Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021 The younger Franklin, always a lover of science and invention, probably didn't appreciate having to play a part in publishing anti-inoculation views. — BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2021 The students designed a life-changing invention for Jeremy, who is now able to enjoy the simple pleasure of taking a stroll with his family. — Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2021

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

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Dictionary Entries Near invention

inventary

invention

inventious

Statistics for invention

Last Updated

8 Sep 2021

Cite this Entry

“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invention. Accessed 11 Sep. 2021.

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More Definitions for invention

invention

noun

English Language Learners Definition of invention

: a useful new device or process

: something (such as a false story) that is made up

: the act of inventing something

See the full definition for invention in the English Language Learners Dictionary

invention

noun

in·ven·tion | \ in-ˈven-shən

Kids Definition of invention

1 : an original device or process

2 : lie entry 3 The story was just an invention.

3 : the act or process of inventing

4 : the ability to think of new ideas He was a man of invention.

invention

noun

in·ven·tion

Legal Definition of invention

: a device, process, or discovery under U.S. patent law that is new and useful, that reflects extraordinary creative ability or skill, and that makes a distinct and recognized contribution to and advancement of science also : the act or process of creating such an invention — compare aggregation, combination, equivalent