invent
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
< Middle English inventen < Old French inventer < Latin inventus, pp. of invenire (“‘to come upon, meet with, find, discover’”) < in (“‘in, on’”) + venire (“‘to come’”); see venture. Cf. advent, covent, event, prevent, etc.
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /ɪnˈvɛnt/
- Audio (US)help, file
- Rhymes: -ɛnt
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to invent (third-person singular simple present invents, present participle inventing, simple past and past participle invented)
- To design a new process or mechanism.
- After weeks of hard work, I invented a new way to alphabetize matchbooks.
- To create something fictional for a particular purpose.
- 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.
- (obsolete) To come upon; to find; to find out; to discover.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
design a new process or mechanism
create something fictional
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] External links
- invent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- invent in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
