What does invention mean?
An invention is something brought into existence through human creativity: a machine, method, system, or idea. The term can also name the act of creating such a thing, as in “the invention of printing,” and it may refer to a fictional or legally stipulated concept presented as if it were real. In everyday use, “invention” is neutral and often suggests ingenuity, originality, and practical effect, although it can be used critically for a scheme that seems deceptive or impractical. The word is especially common in discussions of technology, science, art, patents, and legal systems. Compared with “discovery,” which concerns finding something previously unknown, invention emphasizes the deliberate creation of a new object, principle, or method. It is also broader than “innovation,” which can describe both a new idea and the process of improving existing practices.
nounAn invention is a device, process, method, or idea created by human ingenuity. The word can also refer to the act or process of creating something new, or to a deliberately devised fictional concept.
- A device, system, method, or idea created by human ingenuity.
- The act or process of creating something new.
- A deliberately devised fictional or legal concept, especially one presented as real.
- A remarkable or successful creative achievement.
"The invention of the printing press transformed the spread of knowledge."
"Her invention of a low-cost water filter helped thousands of families."
"The novel treats the central character as a kind of legal invention."
"It was an invention of considerable elegance, reducing a complex process to a few simple steps."
The standard plural is “inventions,” used for multiple created devices, ideas, methods, or schemes.
"Many of the inventions on display were created by amateur engineers."
From the Latin invenire, meaning “to find,” invention transformed the human impulse to discover into the ability to create.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does invention come from?
The word entered English through Old French invention, a borrowing of Latin inventio, a noun derived from invenire, “to find” or “to devise.” The Latin verb combined in- with venire, ultimately related to the root of “come,” and originally conveyed the idea of finding or coming upon something. In English, the meaning developed from the act of finding or devising toward the thing devised, especially a new device or idea.
Related word forms
How invention is actually used
The noun is neutral in register and can be countable or uncountable. “An invention” usually refers to a particular created object, idea, or process, while “the invention of” commonly introduces the act of creating something. In legal and literary contexts, it can also denote a fictional or stipulated concept.
Easily confused with invention
An invention is something created by human ingenuity, whereas a discovery is something previously unknown that is found or learned about.