Standard Lemma guide

invite

noun · verb · 14 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • ĭn'vīt
  • /ˈɪnvaɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • ĭnvīt'
  • /ɪnˈvaɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N V AY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An invitation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To ask for the presence or participation of someone or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • We invited our friends round for dinner.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask out, ask

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To request formally.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I invite you all to be seated.
  • I always invite criticism of my essays.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask, beseech, entreat, request

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To encourage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Wearing that skimpy dress, you are bound to invite attention.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask for, encourage, provoke

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To allure; to draw to; to tempt to come; to induce by pleasure or hope; to attract.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a colloquial expression for invitation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he didn't get no invite to the party

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: invitation

7

verb

Meaning 7

ask someone in a friendly way to do something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bid

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: request

Narrower terms: tempt, allure, challenge

8

verb

Meaning 8

request the participation or presence of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The organizers invite submissions of papers for the conference

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: call for

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: request, bespeak, call for, quest

9

verb

Meaning 9

ask to enter

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We invited the neighbors in for a cup of coffee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask in

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: request, bespeak, call for, quest

Narrower terms: call in

10

verb

Meaning 10

express willingness to have in one's home or environs

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The community warmly received the refugees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: receive, take in

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: welcome, absorb, see, assume, induct

11

verb

Meaning 11

increase the likelihood of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • ask for trouble
  • invite criticism

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask for

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke

12

verb

Meaning 12

give rise to a desire by being attractive or inviting

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the window displays tempted the shoppers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tempt

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stimulate, shake, shake up, excite, stir

13

verb

Meaning 13

invite someone to one's house

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Can I invite you for dinner on Sunday night?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ask over, ask round

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: request, bespeak, call for, quest

14

verb

Meaning 14

have as a guest

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I invited them to a restaurant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pay for

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interact

History

Etymology

From the verb invite.

From Middle French inviter, from Latin invītō. Displaced native English lathe

Across languages

Translations

196 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ambonese Malay: not — (informal) invitation
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܙܘܼܡܵܢܵܐ (zummānā) — (informal) invitation
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܟ̰ܝܵܕ݂ܵܐ (čyāḏā) — (informal) invitation
  • Bulgarian: пока́на (pokána) — (informal) invitation
  • Catalan: invitació — (informal) invitation
  • French: invitation — (informal) invitation
  • German: Einladung — (informal) invitation
  • Greek: πρόσκληση (prósklisi) — (informal) invitation
  • Hebrew: הַזְמָנָה (hazmaná) — (informal) invitation
  • Icelandic: boð — (informal) invitation
  • Italian: invito — (informal) invitation
  • Portuguese: convite — (informal) invitation
  • Russian: приглаше́ние (priglašénije) — (informal) invitation
  • Spanish: invitación — (informal) invitation
  • Afrikaans: uitnooi — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Albanian: ftoj — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ambonese Malay: not — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Arabic: دَعَا (daʕā) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Arabic: عَزَمَ (ʕazama) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Arabic: عزم (ʕazam) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Arabic: عَزَم (ʕazam) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Arabic: عَزَم (ʕazam) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܡܙܲܡܸܢ (mzammin) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܟ̰ܵܐܹܕ݂ (čāˀēḏ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Armenian: հրավիրել (hravirel) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Asturian: invitar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Asturian: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Azerbaijani: çağırmaq — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Azerbaijani: dəvət etmək — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Basque: gonbidatu — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Belarusian: запраша́ць (zaprašácʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Belarusian: запрасі́ць (zaprasícʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Bengali: আমন্ত্রণ করা (amontron kora) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Central Bikol: agda — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Bulgarian: ка́ня (kánja) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Bulgarian: пока́нвам (pokánvam) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Burmese: ဖိတ် (hpit) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Burmese: ပင့် (pang.) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Catalan: invitar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Catalan: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏯᏂᎭ (ayaniha) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 邀請 /邀请 (yāoqǐng) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 請 /请 (qǐng) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 約請 /约请 (yuēqǐng) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ngazidja Comorian: ulalika — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Crimean Tatar: çağırmaq — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Crimean Tatar: davet etmek — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Czech: zvát — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Czech: pozvat — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Danish: invitere — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Danish: indbyde — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Dutch: uitnodigen — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Dutch: nodigen — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Dutch: inviteren — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Dutch: laden — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Erzya: сергелемс (sergelems) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Esperanto: inviti — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Estonian: kutsuma — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Finnish: kutsua — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • French: inviter — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • French: convier — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Friulian: invidâ — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Friulian: convidâ — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Galician: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Georgian: მოწვევა (moc̣veva) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Georgian: პატიჟებს (ṗaṭižebs) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Georgian: დაპატიჟებს (daṗaṭižebs) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • German: einladen — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Middle High German: īnladen — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Old High German: inladōn — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Gothic: 𐌰𐍄𐌻𐌰𐌸𐍉𐌽 (atlaþōn) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Greek: προσκαλώ (proskaló) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ancient Greek: προσκαλέω (proskaléō) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Hawaiian: kono — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Hebrew: הִזְמִין (hizmín) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Hiligaynon: agda — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Hindi: आमंत्रित करना (āmantrit karnā) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Hungarian: meghív — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Icelandic: bjóða — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Indonesian: mengundang — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Italian: invitare — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Japanese: 誘う (sasou) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Japanese: 招待する (shōtai suru) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Japanese: 招く (maneku) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Japanese: 請う (kou) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Kaitag: бурса́ра (bursára) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Kapampangan: agkatan — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Kazakh: шақыру (şaqyru) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Khmer: អញ្ជើញ (ʼɑɑʼɑñcəəñ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Korean: 초대하다 (chodaehada) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Northern Kurdish: vexwendin — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Kyrgyz: чакыруу (cakıruu) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Lao: ເຊີນ (sœ̄n) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Latin: adhibeō — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Latin: invītō — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Latin: convītō — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Latvian: aicināt — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Latvian: lūgt — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Lezgi: теклиф авун (teklif avun) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Lithuanian: pakviesti — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Livonian: kutsõ — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Livonian: nuttõ — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Luxembourgish: invitéieren — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Luxembourgish: alueden — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Macedonian: ка́ни (káni) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Macedonian: по́кани (pókani) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Malay: ajak — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Malay: menjemput — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Māori: pōwhiri — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Moksha: сергядькшнемс (sergäďkšnems) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Mongolian: урих (urix) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Norwegian Bokmål: invitere — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Norwegian Bokmål: innby — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Occitan: invitar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Occitan: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Old English: laðian — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Oromo: affeeruu — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ossetian: хонын (xonyn) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Pashto: بلل (baləl) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Persian: فراخواندن (farâxvândan) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Persian: دعوت کردن (da'vat kardan) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Polish: zapraszać — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Polish: zaprosić — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Portuguese: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Quechua: aypuriy — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Romanian: a invita — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Romansh: envidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Romansh: anvidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Romansh: invidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Romansh: invider — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Russian: приглаша́ть (priglašátʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Russian: пригласи́ть (priglasítʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Russian: звать (zvatʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Russian: позва́ть (pozvátʹ) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Sardinian: combidare — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Sardinian: cumbidai — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Sardinian: cumbidare — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Sardinian: cumbitare — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Scottish Gaelic: iarr — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Serbo-Croatian: звати — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Serbo-Croatian: позвати — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Serbo-Croatian: zvati — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Serbo-Croatian: pozvati — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Sicilian: mmitari — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Slovak: zvať — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Slovak: pozvať — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Slovene: vabiti — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Slovene: povabiti — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Spanish: invitar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Spanish: convidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Swedish: invitera — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Swedish: inbjuda — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tajik: даъват кардан (da'vat kardan) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tajik: ҷеғ задан (jeġ zadan) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tamil: அழை (aḻai) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tamil: கூப்பிடு (kūppiṭu) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tatar: чакырырга (çaqırırğa) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Telugu: ఆహ్వానించు (āhvāniñcu) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Thai: เชิญ (chəən) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Tocharian B: kwa- — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Turkish: davet etmek — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Turkish: çağırmak — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ottoman Turkish: دعوت ایتمك (daʼvet etmek) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ottoman Turkish: چاغرمق (çağırmak) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوقومق (okumak) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Turkmen: çagarmak — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Turkmen: çagyrmak — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ukrainian: запро́шувати (zapróšuvaty) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Ukrainian: запроси́ти (zaprosýty) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Uyghur: تەكلىپ قىلماق (teklip qilmaq) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Uzbek: taklif qilmoq — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Venetan: invitar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Venetan: invidar — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Vietnamese: mời — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Welsh: gwahodd — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Yakut: ынырар (ïnïrar) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Yiddish: אײַנלאַדן (aynladn) — ask for the presence or participation of someone
  • Catalan: invitar — request formally
  • Catalan: convidar — request formally
  • Finnish: kutsua — request formally
  • Finnish: esittää kutsu — request formally
  • Greek: παρακαλώ (parakaló) — request formally
  • Icelandic: bjóða — request formally
  • Pashto: بلل (baləl) — request formally
  • Persian: خواهش کردن (xvâheš kardan) — request formally
  • Polish: prosić — request formally
  • Portuguese: convidar — request formally
  • Russian: проси́ть (prosítʹ) — request formally
  • Russian: попроси́ть (poprosítʹ) — request formally
  • Spanish: solicitar — request formally
  • Spanish: invitar — request formally
  • Telugu: ఆహ్వానించు (āhvāniñcu) — request formally
  • Turkish: davet etmek — request formally
  • Ottoman Turkish: دعوت ایتمك (daʼvet etmek) — request formally
  • Ottoman Turkish: چاغرمق (çağırmak) — request formally
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوقومق (okumak) — request formally
Real reading context

invite in complete knowledge articles