Definitions for invent
ɪnˈvɛntin·vent

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. invent, contrive, devise, excogitate, formulate, forgeverb

   come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

   "excogitate a way to measure the speed of light"

2. fabricate, manufacture, cook up, make up, inventverb

   make up something artificial or untrue

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. inventverb

   To design a new process or mechanism.

   After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.

2. inventverb

   To create something fictional for a particular purpose.

3. inventverb

   To come upon; to find; to find out; to discover.

4. Etymology: From inventen, from inventer, from inventus, perfect passive participle of invenio, from in + venio; see venture. Compare advent, covent, event, prevent, etc.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To INVENTverb

   Etymology: inventer, French; invenio, Latin.

   1. To discover; to find out; to excogitate; to produce something not made before.

   The substance of the service of God, so far forth as it hath in it any thing more than the law of reason doth teach, may not be invented of men, but must be received from God himself. Richard Hooker.

   By their count, which lovers books invent,
   The sphere of Cupid forty years contains. Edmund Spenser.

   Matter of mirth enough, though there were none
   She could devise, and thousand ways invent
   To feed her foolish humour and vain jolliment. Fa. Queen.

   Woe to them that invent to themselves instruments of musick. Amos vi. 5.

   We may invent
   With what more forcible we may offend
   Our enemies. John Milton.

   In the motion of the bones in their articulations, a twofold liquor is prepared for the inunction of their heads; both which make up the most apt mixture, for this use, that can be invented or thought upon. John Ray.

   Ye skilful masters of Machaon's race,
   Who nature's mazy intricacies trace,
   By manag'd fire and late invented eyes. Richard Blackmore.

   But when long time the wretches thoughts refin'd,
   When want had set an edge upon their mind,
   Then various cares their working thoughts employ'd,
   And that which each invented, all enjoy'd. Thomas Creech.

   The ship by help of a screw, invented by Archimedes, was launched into the water. Arbuthnot.

   2. To forge; to contrive falsely; to fabricate.

   I never did such things as those men have maliciously invented against me. Susan. xliii.

   Here is a strange figure invented, against the plain sense of the words. Edward Stillingfleet.

   3. To feign; to make by the imagination.

   I would invent as bitter searching terms,
   With full as many signs of deadly hate,
   As lean-fac'd envy in her lothsome cave. William Shakespeare.

   Hercules's meeting with pleasure and virtue, was invented by Prodicus, who lived before Socrates, and in the first dawnings of philosophy. Joseph Addison, Spectator.

   4. To light on; to meet with.

   Far off he wonders what them makes so glad:
   Or Bacchus' merry fruit they did invent,
   Or Cybel's frantick rites have made them mad. Edmund Spenser.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. invent

   An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an idea is unique enough either as a stand alone invention or as a significant improvement over the work of others, it can be patented. A patent, if granted, gives the inventor a proprietary interest in the patent over a specific period of time, which can be licensed for financial gain. An inventor creates or discovers an invention. The word inventor comes from the Latin verb invenire, invent-, to find. Although inventing is closely associated with science and engineering, inventors are not necessarily engineers or scientists. Due to advances in artificial intelligence, the term "inventor" no longer exclusively applies to an occupation (see human computers).Some inventions can be patented. The system of patents was established to encourage inventors by granting limited-term, limited monopoly on inventions determined to be sufficiently novel, non-obvious, and useful. A patent legally protects the intellectual property rights of the inventor and legally recognizes that a claimed invention is actually an invention. The rules and requirements for patenting an invention vary by country and the process of obtaining a patent is often expensive. Another meaning of invention is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social behaviours adopted by people and passed on to others. The Institute for Social Inventions collected many such ideas in magazines and books. Invention is also an important component of artistic and design creativity. Inventions often extend the boundaries of human knowledge, experience or capability.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Inventverb

   to come or light upon; to meet; to find

2. Inventverb

   to discover, as by study or inquiry; to find out; to devise; to contrive or produce for the first time; -- applied commonly to the discovery of some serviceable mode, instrument, or machine

3. Inventverb

   to frame by the imagination; to fabricate mentally; to forge; -- in a good or a bad sense; as, to invent the machinery of a poem; to invent a falsehood

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Invent

   in-vent′, v.t. to devise or contrive: to make: to frame: to fabricate: to forge.—adj. Inven′tible.—n. Inven′tion, that which is invented: contrivance: a deceit: power or faculty of inventing: ability displayed by any invention or effort of the imagination.—adj. Inven′tive, able to invent: ready in contrivance.—adv. Inven′tively.—ns. Inven′tiveness; Inven′tor, Inven′ter, one who invents or finds out something new:—fem. Inven′tress.—Invention of the Cross, a festival observed on May 3, in commemoration of the alleged discovery of the true cross at Jerusalem in 326 by Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. [Fr.,—L. invenīre, inventum—in, upon, venīre, to come.]

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'invent' in Verbs Frequency: #752

How to pronounce invent?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say invent in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of invent in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of invent in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of invent in a Sentence

1. Cicero:

   The man who backbites an absent friend, nay, who does not stand up for him when another blames him, the man who angles for bursts of laughter and for the repute of a wit, who can invent what he never saw, who cannot keep a secret - that man is black at heart mark and avoid him.

2. Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire:

   If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent him.

3. Brady Brim-DeForest:

   If you don't have answers, invent them.

4. Alexander Pope:

   He who tells a lie is not sensible of how great a task he undertakes for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one.

5. Giuseppe Verdi:

   To copy the truth can be a good thing, but to invent the truth is better, much better.

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