verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɪnˈvɛnt/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛnt
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N V EH1 N T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To design a new process or mechanism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: conceive
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I knew I had to invent an excuse, and quickly.
We need a name to put in this form, so let's just invent one.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: make up, manufacture, spin
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To come upon; to find; to discover.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From Middle English inventen, borrowed from Old French inventer, from Latin inventus, perfect passive participle of inveniō (“come upon, meet with, find, discover”), from in (“in, on”) + veniō (“come”); see venture. Compare advent, covent, event, prevent, etc. Displaced native Old English āþenċan (literally “to think out”).
Across languages
Translations
101 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
uitvind
— design a new process or mechanism
Arabic:
اِخْتَرَعَ
(iḵtaraʕa)
— design a new process or mechanism
Armenian:
հնարել
(hnarel)
— design a new process or mechanism
Belarusian:
вынахо́дзіць
(vynaxódzicʹ)
— design a new process or mechanism
Belarusian:
вы́найсці
(výnajsci)
— design a new process or mechanism
Bulgarian:
изобретя́вам
(izobretjávam)
— design a new process or mechanism
Catalan:
inventar
— design a new process or mechanism
Chinese Mandarin:
發明 /发明
(fāmíng)
— design a new process or mechanism
Cornish:
devisya
— design a new process or mechanism
Czech:
vynalézt
— design a new process or mechanism
Dutch:
uitvinden
— design a new process or mechanism
Dutch:
uitdenken
— design a new process or mechanism
Esperanto:
inventi
— design a new process or mechanism
Faroese:
finna upp
— design a new process or mechanism
Faroese:
hugsa upp
— design a new process or mechanism
Finnish:
keksiä
— design a new process or mechanism
French:
inventer
— design a new process or mechanism
Galician:
inventar
— design a new process or mechanism
German:
erfinden
— design a new process or mechanism
Greek:
εφευρίσκω
(efevrísko)
— design a new process or mechanism
Ancient Greek:
ἐξευρίσκω
(exeurískō)
— design a new process or mechanism
Hungarian:
feltalál
— design a new process or mechanism
Icelandic:
finna upp
— design a new process or mechanism
Irish:
cum
— design a new process or mechanism
Irish:
ceap
— design a new process or mechanism
Italian:
inventare
— design a new process or mechanism
Japanese:
発明する
(hatsumei-suru)
— design a new process or mechanism
Khmer:
បង្កើត
(bɑɑbɑngkaət)
— design a new process or mechanism
Korean:
발명하다
(balmyeong-hada)
— design a new process or mechanism
Latin:
inveniō
— design a new process or mechanism
Latin:
reperiō
— design a new process or mechanism
Macedonian:
пронаоѓа
(pronaoǵa)
— design a new process or mechanism
Macedonian:
изумува
(izumuva)
— design a new process or mechanism
Macedonian:
измислува
(izmisluva)
— design a new process or mechanism
Norwegian:
oppfinne
— design a new process or mechanism
Old English:
āþenċan
— design a new process or mechanism
Polish:
wynaleźć
— design a new process or mechanism
Portuguese:
inventar
— design a new process or mechanism
Romanian:
scorni
— design a new process or mechanism
Romanian:
născoci
— design a new process or mechanism
Romanian:
inventa
— design a new process or mechanism
Russian:
изобрета́ть
(izobretátʹ)
— design a new process or mechanism
Russian:
изобрести́
(izobrestí)
— design a new process or mechanism
Russian:
создава́ть
(sozdavátʹ)
— design a new process or mechanism
Russian:
созда́ть
(sozdátʹ)
— design a new process or mechanism
Serbo-Croatian:
изумети
— design a new process or mechanism
Serbo-Croatian:
изумјети
— design a new process or mechanism
Serbo-Croatian:
izumeti
— design a new process or mechanism
Serbo-Croatian:
izumjeti
— design a new process or mechanism
Slovak:
vynájsť
— design a new process or mechanism
Slovene:
izumljati
— design a new process or mechanism
Slovene:
izumiti
— design a new process or mechanism
Spanish:
inventar
— design a new process or mechanism
Swedish:
uppfinna
— design a new process or mechanism
Tamil:
கண்டுபிடி
(kaṇṭupiṭi)
— design a new process or mechanism
Thai:
คิดค้น
(kít-kón)
— design a new process or mechanism
Turkish:
icat etmek
— design a new process or mechanism
Ukrainian:
винахо́дити
(vynaxódyty)
— design a new process or mechanism
Ukrainian:
ви́найти
(výnajty)
— design a new process or mechanism
Vietnamese:
phát minh
— design a new process or mechanism
Volapük:
datuvön
— design a new process or mechanism
