What does invitee mean?
An invitee is a person who has been invited to attend an event, meeting, wedding, celebration, or similar occasion. The word is especially common in event planning, formal invitations, and professional communication, where it clearly identifies the recipient of an invitation. It differs from an attendee, which refers to someone who actually attends and may not have been formally invited, and from an inviter, which identifies the person extending the invitation. Although invitee can sometimes be used loosely for any participant or guest, its precise function is to emphasize the status of a person who has been invited. Its standard plural is invitees, as in references to an invitee list or a group of invitees.
nounA person who has been invited to attend an event, meeting, ceremony, or other occasion. The term is sometimes used more broadly for anyone included in an invitation or guest list.
- A person who has been invited to attend an event or participate in an occasion.
"The organizers sent the final details to every invitee by email."
"The wedding invitees arrived before the ceremony began."
"Each invitee received a confirmation message and directions to the venue."
The standard plural is invitees.
"The organizers contacted all invitees with the updated schedule."
Invitee names the person on the receiving end of an invitation: the host issues the invitation, and the invitee receives it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does invitee come from?
Invitee is an English word formed from invite with the suffix -ee, a suffix used to identify a person who receives or is associated with an action. Its root, invite, comes through Old French inviter from Latin invitare, meaning “to invite” or “to summon.” The related English words invitation, invitational, and invitatory belong to the same root and semantic family.
Related word forms
How invitee is actually used
Invitee is common in formal announcements, event planning, invitations, and professional correspondence. It is more specific than attendee because it identifies someone who was invited, although some contexts use it loosely for participants or guests.
Easily confused with invitee
An invitee is the person who receives an invitation, whereas an inviter is the person who gives it.
An invitee has been invited to an event, while an attendee is someone who actually attends, whether or not they were formally invited.